Forgotten Legacy
by ImortalFalcon
Summary: After going to the past,taking a 21st century marine with her, Shepard is tormented by a sinister slaver lord seeking to capture her.Failing the last 2 attempts he is crazed to get her. Can she strike down this malice and bring the marine home?Col/WarHero
1. War 2010

"Alright Marines, listen up. This is our first push into downtown Baghdad since Al Qaeda took the forward command post from us, we're expecting heavily armed resistance from the enemy. We are the first to be heading into the city, we must eliminate all hostile forces and establish a CP. We will hold out till 2200 hours, that's when the Army will be rolling in. Several other Marine divisions will be striking to our far left and right flank. This battle is going to be big, and I want none of you underestimating the situation. Command is telling us possible medium armor and light armor will be present in the area due west and northwest of positions Tom and Jerry, but nothing we Marines cant handle, Oorah?"

"Oorah!" The rest of the Marines yelled.

Everyone got up from the brief room and began to head out and suit up. The projector that showed the map of the operation zone went blank then shut off with a click. Corporal Jacob Kebler approached the mission instructor.

"Lieutenant, what about the British?" He questioned.

"They have set up a sniper team on the higher roof tops to counter any enemy snipers or RPGs. They'll cover us so we can worry about what's on the ground rather than what's above our heads." The Lieutenant replied.

He then turned toward the tent's exit and walked out of the room over to the barracks. Sand blew left and right as far as the eye can see, the brown granulated nightmare whipped the olive drab tents of the base, the prominent red cross of the emergency medical tent was hardly visible. The pelting sand sounded with ferocity, Marines had to yell to one another to communicate. The blue sky radiated in sharp contrast to the brown fog. The Lieutenant entered the barracks and went to the locker side, finishing preparation of his equipment for the mission.

"I'm glad you have the cojones to bleed in the trenches with your men, LT." Sergeant Kelly Gonzalez said proudly as she looked up from tying her boot "I'd hate to see a desk with the name plate 'Lieutenant Jason Walker' on it. Besides we need you out here."

Lieutenant Walker looked at her with a smirk "glad to be here, sitting on my ass doing nothing while Marines die by my orders didn't sound too appealing when I got the promotion."

Gonzalez smiled and continued adjusting her boots.

---------------------------

Marines from panel to panel of the barracks where cleaning their guns and loading their clips, medics stocking their kits with bandages and Quik Clot. Marines ready for the mission waited in the mess while a few stood around the ICVs and M1A2 Abrams tanks, a total of six tanks made up the tank column and three ICVs. No one bothered to use the Humvee's, the people in command saw this mission as a "high profile" target for the insurgents, believing every ultra national extremist from Beirut to Ankara would want to do everything in their power to stop the Marine Corps from re-taking Baghdad. The steel monsters parked idly in the wind and sand, unaffected by the abrasive particulate. A sense of pride emitted from the ominous armored column, as well as a great deal of respect. In combat they were viewed as a 'big brother' to the men on the ground, pounding out of reach or tough enemy fortifications and decimating their ranks. If something was too hard to get through with men, the men looked to the tanks.

---------------------------

The sandstorm began to die down as the Marines congregated around the armored vehicles. Lieutenant Walker climbed into the ICV and spoke on the radio,

"Marines, here we go on another mission same as before, finish the objective, stick together, work together, and everyone comes home. Let's do this Devildogs!"

The platoon roared as the engines of the colossal metal beasts came to life. Men poured into the vehicles with efficient intervals. As the last man entered the vehicles they locked the door behind them. The armored column drove off into the desert toward Baghdad. Mighty sand plumes drifted off to the right of the caravan as the tires and treads kicked up dirt and sand. There was little to nothing to look at on the way, a few rocks here and there and some husks of Iraqi tanks from the Gulf war, the city of Baghdad lay off in the distance, a grey bar of buildings along the horizon. It seemed peaceful now, but once they hit the redzone that's where all earlier assumptions end. A lulling sound echoed in the thick haul of the ICV, almost relaxing if it weren't for the bumps in the road every now and then. Marines sat next to each other, a few talked, others prayed, and some stared blankly in front of them. As for the Lieutenant, he looked among his men, studying their behavior.

"Hey LT. After this I get to go home. I'll make sure to send you some of my mom's pie when I get back." Corporal Kebler stated.

"What day is that?" Walker asked, disregarding the later sentence.

"July seventeenth sir."

Noticing that it was July thirteenth today Walker sighed, now the brains of this platoon was about to head back to the states.

"Going to follow Calioni home, huh? Say 'hi' to him for us." Walker joked.

"Yeah right. . . He's an ass." The Corporal remarked. Several Marines in the vehicle chuckled.

"Yeah, well. Not as much as you are when your up in someone's face about 'protons' or 'chemical substances'." An African American Marine blurted out.

"Shut up Stones. It's usually about more relevant things. Such as symbiotic relationships." Jacobs muttered.

"Like my fist in your face?" Stones kidded, rubbing his fist with his other hand.

"Alright you two, knock it off. Save all your anger for the mission." With a grin, the Lieutenant intervened. The ICV grew quite again, Stones slightly kicked Jacobs' boot, then he did the same. ---------------------------

"This is GhostShadow, I repeat this is GhostShadow over." A British man spoke through the radio.

Lieutenant Walker quickly put his two fingers to his ear piece.

"We read you loud and clear Ghostshadow."

"Copy that, you must be the Lieutenant I reckon, the yank marines right?"

"Yes that would be us GhostShadow, what's your status? Over."

"We are ready and in position."

"Roger that, stand by for orders."

Walker lowered his hand back onto his rifle. The armored column reached the city's outskirts and headed deeper into the concrete jungle, citizens of Baghdad came out of their houses to watch the vehicles go by, some Iraqis where less than happy and others smiled, the faces of war-ravaged innocents zoomed by over and over. Various market places pasted, their patrons gave the military vehicles a wide berth. Several minutes of riding through the city passed, no resistence for now. Walker lifted his hand up to the comm system.

"GhostShadow do you read?"

"Yes we're hear you mate."

"We have entered the city and are about 4 clicks north of downtown Baghdad, over."

"alright, we see you now, don't worry about RPGs we got your arse up here"

"Roger that, over."

The Lieutenant addresses his platoon via radio message.

"Split up into three fire teams, Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. Alpha go and assault point Jerry from the east flank, Bravo move from Tom's northeast, finally, Charlie your with me and hit point Tom from the north, two Abrams for each fireteam. After we finish Tom we move in from the north down to help Alpha on Jerry. Keep your eyes up, watch for silhouettes on the top floors. Oorah!"

Various calls came from the radio confirming the battle strategy, all vehicles drove off into each respective coordinates. It was still quite around the perimeter of the objectives, nobody saying much and no hostile activity.


	2. Baptism by bullets

All friendly personnel piled out of the ICVs and set up combat positions around the vehicle, for what seemed an everlasting silence swept through the designated combat zone. Drastically out of no where shots rang out around point Tom aimed at fire team Charlie. A marine was hit in the upper right leg and fell to the ground another was hit in the torso falling back into a wall and sliding down it to the street. The fire team began yelling and running for more substantial cover, covering fire began exploding into action, Sergeant Gonzalez yelled enemy positions. A medic ran over to the marine with the wounded right leg and began to drag him behind the ICV.

"Someone give that stryker coordinates on the tangos! It's to close to break out the 120mm! Tell the Abrams to get on those .50cals!" Walker yelled at the top of his lungs.

A marine ordered for suppressive fire as he ran to the ICV, another ran to the two Abrams that were looking around for hostile targets. Across the way in front of a building an insurgent was hit in the chest and shoulder by the tank crewman on the machine gun and fell to the ground while another stood up to fire an RPG, he was shot in the head, distinct dark red mist flashed from the left side of his head.

"Alright, bagged me a bogey!" GhostShadow remarked through the Lieutenants headset.

"GhostShadow we need more fire on those rooftops!" Walker replied.

"Roger that...this is going to be fun."

One by one Insurgents dropped out of site from the roofs above, red mist every time. Soon enemies started showing up ground level, a marine tossed a frag grenade at the group of hostile forces, the grenade went off dismembering one insurgent and peppering the other with fragmentation.

"Bravo this is fire team Charlie, we are taking enemy fire! What's your status, over!" The Lieutenant called over the radio.

"Copy that fire team Charlie, we are also taking enemy fire from the east of our current position. We are engaging Al Qaeda forces and are currently neutralizing target buildings with our tanks, over."

"Roger Bravo team, keep fighting and eliminate the hostile forces. Stay frosty."

Lieutenant Walker turned out from cover and began to shoot at enemy personnel, hitting one in the left arm and in the abdomen. Three other marines ran to a building and crouched in the doorway, one reloaded, his empty magazine fell to the dirt with a hollow, metallic clank, while the others fired at the opposition.

---------------------------

"Ground team come in, this is Tomahawk 4 ready to provide close air support where do you need us?" An Apache pilot called in over the radio.

"This is Charlie, Tomahawk 4. We need you over at coordinates three, eight, zero, five, five over" Lieutenant Walker ordered.

"Understood ETA three minutes."

Walker transmitted the news to the two other fire teams then began running over to another position. It was a surreal moment, running in the open across the courtyard under enemy fire. Walker couldn't think, the only thing he could do was keep one leg pivoting in front of the other while breathing hard from the adrenaline of combat. All he could hear was the sound of air move in and out of his lungs. He then met his destination and crouched under a broken wall near the marine that was shot earlier in the chest.

"Are you wounded marine?" Walker question in a loud yet calm tone.

"...uurhh....the bullet penetrated the Kevlar just barley...just enough to put me out of fighting Lieutenant..." The marine divulged with pain laced in his voice.

"Ok, sit tight I'll call the medic."

Walker signaled the medic to come over to the wounded marine.

"Gonzalez! Get over here!" he yelled, still stroking his arm toward his position at the medic.

Kelly shot a few rounds toward the buildings and ran over to the Lieutenant.

"What are your orders Lieutenant?" She questioned after she slid into cover.

"I want you to get some covering fire for us while we carry him out of harms way." Walker ordered.

"Ready when you are sir!"

The medic ran over to the two and put some temporary field dressing on the marine's wound, then he and Walker lifted up the man and Sergeant Gonzalez provided suppressive fire. The Apache roared in from the behind Kelly and began unloading M230 rounds into the enemy buildings.

"Bloody hell! You didn't tell me you had helo support!" GhostShadow yelled over the headset, quite alarmed.

"I thought it might make a nice surprise." The Lieutenant joked briefly. "Tomahawk 4 there are friendly's at three o'clock."

"Affirmative Charlie team." The pilot acknowledged.

Spent cartridges fell from the chopper with a loud, blunt thud, smoke still lifting off of them. The extremists began falling back into the buildings overwhelmed by the Apache and amount of fire the marines had laid down.

"Here we go marines, time to chase down these bastards! Harkens, Keller stay back at the Stryker and help guard the wounded incase Al Qaeda decides to make a counter attack."

Harkens and Keller ran around the ICV to tell the medic and his wounded that they are here to help if things get too dicey. The rest of the fire team began running into and out of the buildings clearing the rooms incase any remaining forces where left behind. Gonzalez and three other marines kicked down the front door of a residential building and went in for a sweep. The helicopter flew off over to Bravo team to help pacify any enemy barriers. Gonzalez and her squad cleared the first building and moved over to the next, Walker followed the squad into the building, two marines went down stairs another searched the up stairs bedrooms while Walker searched the room to the far right, Gonzalez breached the door to the balcony room. Two shots boomed out of thin air, all of fire team Charlie looked around frantically for the cause of the firing. Lieutenant Walker dropped his M4 Carbine and ran to the room the Sergeant went into, while un-holstering his MEU(SOC). In the room he saw a man, his head wrapped in a red and white cloth.

"Put the gun down! Put the gun down now!" The Lieutenant shouted continuously.

The man lowered his pistol to the ground and dropped it on the floor. Then Walker looked over to his right and saw Gonzalez on the ground, two gun shots in the abdomen, her teeth clenched in mortal pain. The shooter had his arms in the air but had a wicked smirk in his eyes. Walker raised his pistol at the mans head with his right hand, two marines appeared in the door way about to raise their guns. An abrupt shot discharged from Walker's pistol, fired into the mans head, deep crimson and pink matter flew to the back wall. The mans smirk in his eyes faded away as he fell to the floor.

"Lieutenant! He was unarmed! That's a war crime!" one of the marines in the back exclaimed in disbelief.

"No, he wasn't. I dis-armed him." The Lieutenant growled.

Walker then stepped over to Sergeant Gonzalez and picked her up over his shoulders, Gonzalez let out a shrill, blood curdling scream as she was lifted from the floor. Walker ran down the stairs and out of the house to the make-shift medical station. He put her down near the medic.

"Hang in there Sergeant. Your in good hands." Walker whispered with a mixture of uncertainty.

"...Lieu...tenant....I think y...you and.. I... both know... what's going to happen..." She spoke, voice fading.

"Don't say that Gonzalez, your going to be-"

"Jason... don't kid yourself..."

The Lieutenant took off the Sergeants Kevlar helmet and held her head up. He looked into Kelly's fading blue eyes, he knew what would happen.

---------------------------

The rest of the fire team traveled back to the original fire fight position. Various signals came from the radio about the accomplishment of the mission, apparently fire team Alpha ran into enemy tank opposition toward the beginning of their mission. Bravo had about the same resistance as Charlie, the Apache helped a lot in both Bravo and alpha's mission. Few casualties for the Marine Corps about eight in all, five wounded and three deaths. The medic over at Charlie managed to stabilize Sergeant Kelly Gonzalez' condition, if there is any hope in her survival she needs to be medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Hospital in Germany.

"How long till the medevac arrives?" Walker questioned softly.

"Well we will have to travel to the Al Asad Air Base to get her aboard the AA to Ramstein Air Base. I don't think she'll make it lieutenant..." The medic spoke in a low manner.

Lieutenant Walker stared into blank sky. Walker's strong compassion for his men was renown, he never accepts any operation that has an inevitable casualty rate unless he leads it personally, any loss in his company is never a statistic and always hits hard within him, but when one of his men gives their life on the battlefield he takes it upon himself to visit their family's, paying airfare and all out of his own pocket. Walker pulled his dark green and black bandana off his face and threw it on the ground, this can't be happening, not to the one he took under his wing, not the one he felt had the determination to get the mission done and the same compassion for squad members as he.

"Lieutenant over there! In the sky!" a marine exclaimed in shock. A huge black ship was heading closer and closer to their location. It had a aerodynamic hull and two unknown propulsion systems branching off to the left and right. It was moving faster and faster toward them, some marines ran for cover while others stood there looking at it, it came close enough to see markings and such in a quick blur.

"Sir! I think the hull reads "Normandy"!"


	3. Aftermath 2183

* * *

One Hundred Seventy Three years later...

"Shepard, I don't like the sound of this. Out of the chaos after the battle with Sovereign they sent a research team into Sovereign to search for a mysterious "signal", like you humans say, something smells fishy."

"Relax Garrus, it seems like the researchers were just a recon team looking for any information about the Reapers or the Geth."

"Either way I'll be behind you one hundred percent."

Shepard began to walk toward the C-sec entrance, Garrus paused for a moment his eyes fixed with uncertainty and confusion. The two made their way through the C-sec quarters then up the elevator.

"Commander-"

"You really don't like this mission do you?"

"Well . . . yes, it's just that we all have grown close over the past missions-You were almost killed."

"I didn't know that bothered you so much."

"Doesn't it you Shepard?!"

"Garrus, I've almost been killed a lot lately. The more you worry the faster things get out of hand."

"That mentality . . . your heroism on Elysium must have taught you that. But still I don't know what we would have done had you not survived, you're not just my leader, your our leader. What I'm trying to get at here Shepard is that you could use a break."

Commander Shepard looks valorously at Garrus, her green eyes focused seemingly toward his soul and character rather than his being.

"There's more to you than a seasoned C-sec investigator, isn't there."

"I like to think so."

With a smirk on his face Garrus motions the commander to go first through the door as it opened. The two walked out the elevator into the hangar, SSV Normandy stationed to the left as always. They made their way into the decontamination chamber to await decontamination.

"Logged. The commanding officer is aboard. XO Pressly stands relived." The on-board computer prompts. The ship seemed to be buzzing inside, people walking to their stations and others carrying supplies for restock and the missions ahead. Garrus took off to the right passed the galaxy map and through a door down to engineering, Shepard made her way to the helm of the ship. Shepard began looking at various computer screens making sure everything is in order.

"Ready for one more mission Joker?"

"Weeell not quite, I was hoping on some shore leave but I forgot this ship was commanded by a universe saving ice queen."

"Ice queen, huh? I'll go ahead and take that as a complement. Don't worry I won't pull your leg too much, seeing as it would snap off."

"Ouch Commander! That was below the belt!...Literally and metaphorically."

Joker facing at his computer, grins with a slightly evil look.

"...At least I didn't sleep with the Lieutenant..."

"What was that Joker?!"

"Nothing, I just said...I was going to check my mail on World of Warcraft..."

"That games still around?"

"Yup, fifty three expansions and over a million patches, longest living game of all time."

Shepard looked at Joker suspiciously for a moment then started to walk over to the galaxy map. Pressly peaked up from his work and nodded at the commander then dove back into his complex duty. Doctor Chakwas walked briskly passed the map over toward one of the ship's operators, whispering to him. Shepard opened the map and began to scan for the signal near the citadel, a blip pinged on the map. Shepard looked at it closely and scanned it for any life forms.

"Ma'am" Joker spoke uneasily.

"I'm not picking up any life forms from that scan you did."

"Are you positive Joker?"

"Guaranteed or your money back"

"Alright then, lets get there double time"

The docking holds snapped off the wings of the ship with a burst of white smoke, the engine roared to life, then the Normandy backed out of its docking bay through the force field. The ship began to move toward the location of the beacon, slowly moving to avoid debris and the like. Massive broken fuselage and deck parts from various alliance ships scattered about, a giant tentacle of the Reaper Sovereign delicately flowed through space, a deadly sight up until a few days ago, more than a few bodies scattered through out the region, human, asari, turian, nobody wanted to get a close look.

"My god..." Doctor Chakwas murmured below her breath in shock. Commander Shepard walked to a window in the cockpit of the ship, her face struck with anger and regret. Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko walked forward behind the doctor and Commander.

"What a mess." the Lieutenant said in disgust. Shepard glanced behind her at Alenko and walked away to the com room.

"Commander-" Kaidan exclaimed in a worried tone. The Lieutenant quickly followed Shepard into the com room.

Commander Shepard sat in the seat to the right of the com beacons, crossing her arms and looking down at her legs. Kaidan stood in front of her, concern was the most immediate emotion on his face.

"What's wrong Commander?"

"... I-...I" Shepard tried to talk but she couldn't find the words to say. She held her head up with her hand on her forehead.

"They shouldn't have died Kaidan.." she said softly

"Commander...Shepard they were doing their duty, what they were supposed to do"

"No... I should have moved faster..."

"Shepard there was nothing that you could have done differently to save them"

"How do you know that?"

"...I don't."

"Those men were my responsibility and failed them."

"You did everything you could. We did everything we could."

"I'm not blaming the team Kaidan."

"I know, I just thought I'd put that in there, you know even things out a bit"

Shepard smiled "Charming as always".

Kaidan sat down in the chair across from the Commander, resting his arms on his knees with his fingers webbed and leaning forward.

"You realize this is the last mission, don't you Commander?"

"Yes, Joker made it clear to me."

"That kid, always wanting a break."

"Well you can't blame him we've been at this for a while now, going on about five months"

"anyway, I was going to ask you what you are going to do with that time off."

"You trying to imply something Lieutenant?"

"Um.. Well no... well I thought I already did...um..well, not at all."

"Your digging yourself deeper Alenko" Shepard smiled in a joking manner.

"Ok, I was wondering if Maybe you would like to come to Earth sometime. With me, of course."

"Hmm, I've never been."

"What! You mean you have Never been to earth! The home planet of the entire human race!"

"Not in the least."

"That's the destination of every off earth school's field trip. What did your parents do?! What kind of parents don't take their kid to earth?!"

Shepard stairs at the Lieutenant for what seemed an eternity.

"Oh... wow...I'm an ass...I am so sorry Commander I entirely forgot.."

"Don't worry Kaiden it's fine. Like I said I'm over it."

Kaiden sat there for a while, shocked that he let himself forget what happened to the Commanders family. Kaiden rubbed his hands together and stood up.

"Alright well I'll get back to my duty's."

"Alenko"

"yes, Shepard?"

"I'll go with you."

The Lieutenant nodded his head then left the room. Shepard got up and walked back to her post.

The Normandy approached a giant hulking mass of the ship Sovereign, the condition it was in made it look like it was impossible to even enter the mass of metal.

"You see what happened to this ship? You see the mess it's in? Courtesy of yours truly mister Jeff Moreau."

"Joker, you think you can find a route inside?"

"I can. Stand by Commander."

The Normandy traveled closer to the wreckage and began to scan and circle the mass. Tali popped out of the door to the right and walked over to the Commander.

"Shepard."

"Yes, Tali?"

"I do not feel so well, may I visit the Doctor?"

"You know you don't have to ask to go to sick bay, your free to see her."

"I was just making sure, thanks Commander."

Tali walked back through the door to sick bay. Shepard seemed a bit puzzled that Garrus and now Tali seem to be feeling strange but goes back to monitoring the heading and crew. The ship made a full circle around the bottom half of the debris and began to ascend to the middle half. The inside of the Normandy was quiet but busy with work as the crew worked tirelessly to find an entrance into the wreckage, Commander Shepard took this time to go check up on poor Tali that seemed under the weather. She walked into the door of the command deck then down the steps to the Quarters and into the sick bay. Inside Chakwas was treating the Quarian.

"Doctor, what seems to be the matter with Tali?"

"Well, I'm not an expert in Quarian biology but it seems to be , by the way she is describing it, a case of motion sickness."

"What!? A Quarian has Motion sickness?! That's almost comical."

"Uuughh, trust me Shepard, the way it feels is not."

"I believe that she got it due to being on various planets for a prolonged amount of time then back on a spacecraft as small as the Normandy."

"Sounds like the cause to me. Shepard the Flotilla has a few small ships but not as small as this one, and my people really never go on planets or anything with that amount of gravity. I might have to sit back for a while Shepard."

"Ok if you feel that's what you need to do. Hope you feel better soon Tali."

"Will do, thank you Shepard."

Tali turned to fluff up her pillow and laid back down. Suddenly the Normandy stopped with a shutter and the intercom went loud.

"Commander! We have company inbound!"


	4. The way in

"Commander! Three Geth ships off the port side bow!"

"Once they get in range open fire."

"Aye aye ma'am"

Shepard ran over to joker and engaged the intercom.

"All hands to battle stations! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill."

The command deck ripped into controlled chaos, the sound of foot fall was deafening, the decks lights went red as the ship prepped to engage the threat. Garrus rushed from the garage toward the pilot's seat.

"Commander, what's going on?!"

"We've spotted Geth ships in the sector and are preparing to engage. Vakarian I need you and Wrex to secure anything loose in the garage and help the engineers if we sustain damage"

"Yes Commander will do."

Garrus sprinted back toward the Quarters doors, speed on his side, turians are built more agile and maneuverable than humans. The Normandy made a curving turn towards the enemy vessels then went still, in an ominous position. The three Geth ships broke off from each other attempting to confuse their adversary, the ship to the far left dove down to perhaps evade eye site and later preform a surprise attack, the far right ship rolled to the right to find a position to come up behind the Normandy, and the center spacecraft sped ahead on a straight trajectory to attempt to disrupt the alliance vessels targeting. The mass accelerator cannon charged more and more rattling the Normandy slightly, it then fired a massive shot penetrating the incoming enemy ship through the hull. Joker had a malicious smirk on his face not expecting the Geth to be such poor pilots. The Normandy began to accelerate forward to engage another target, the second Geth ship that tried to hang low was quickly spotted. Both ships moved faster and faster in the same direction, the enemy ship attempted to preform a split-S to disengage the Normandy and wait for his wing man to back him up. The cannon fired toward the Geth ship but missed, the enemy then disengaged and headed toward their ally, making it two against one. Fire came from the third vessel hitting the Normandy in the right wing, another shot barreled toward the alliance frigate this time missing above the left engine.

"Two enemy golfs on our six!" One of the crewmen yelled.

"No matter how many there are behind us there's only room for one shooter." Joker implied as if an instructor at flight school. It was an intense scene as the three spacecraft twisted and turned in a line of death.

"SSV Normandy this is the SSV Gettysburg we are inbound to your position for backup"

"Copy that SSV Gettysburg, we're glad to hear from you."

From the corner of view the Gettysburg appeared. The new ship entered the battle merging to the rear of the third Geth ship, with two shots from the cannon the enemy starship blew into two separate halves.

"Splash one." The commanding officer of the Gettysburg announced over the frequency. The last Geth ship rolled right to evade the second alliance ship. The Gettysburg positioned itself off the far right of the Normandy's starboard. The Geth ship took the bait, it began to follow the Gettysburg trying to get in a shot, suddenly the Gettysburg rolled left as the Normandy began to juke left. The two alliance starships crossed each others path then maneuvered in a huge half circle, the Geth ship in tow. The Gettysburg went off ahead of the Normandy as they were about to cross paths once again, the enemy still following the Gettysburg. The Normandy opened fire, the round went clean through the hull.

"Alright! Normandy shot down a bandit!" The Gettysburg pilot cheered.

"Ha! The Thach Weave! They fell for it, oldest trick in the book!"

"I'm glad you caught on, if you didn't we would have been toast."

"Nah, I read up on my ancient dogfighting books. Thanks for the help Gettysburg."

"Anytime, over and out."

The SSV Gettysburg journeyed away and the Normandy crew continued to scan for a way inside the hulking debris of Sovereign. A calm swept over the crew once more, nothing but tapping of keyboards and the occasional cough.

"Commander, transmission coming in."

"Patch it through Joker."

"Commander Shepard. This is Admiral Hackett. I heard you encountered hostile force near that wreckage, must have been stragglers from the botched assault on the citadel. Anyway I see your ship and the Gettysburg took them out, nice work. I have more information about your current mission."

"Sounds good Admiral, what can you tell me?"

"It seems the salarians that went to investigate the anomaly were researchers for a rogue military group, we have no further information on what or why they wanted to investigate. We don't even know how they disguised themselves as council researchers or the name of the rogue faction they work for."

"So do we even need to continue the mission in finding them?"

"No, your new mission now is to locate the agents and neutralize them if possible, also, we would like to get some more Intel on what they are looking for. Admiral Hackett out."

The transmission cut with a quick click. Shepard scrunched her eyebrows, pondering the new mission objective, if there's a new band of mercenaries or extremists forming she needs to put a stop to it. Commander Shepard made her way down to the elevator and got on, maybe Wrex knows about this more than she does. With a sliding motion the elevator doors closed and began to lower into the garage.

"These elevators take forever..." Shepard whispered to herself.

The elevator stopped at the bottom floor and the doors slid open. Shepard walked out of the elevator and mildly ran toward Wrex.

"Wrex, I need to talk with you"

"Yeah, what now Shepard?"

"I have received information that the salarian researchers were undercover operatives for a new organization of some sort, tell me what you know."

"Well, I don't know much about newly forming organizations but it seems that they are experts on blending in."

"Is that a trade mark of any other organized crime syndicate?"

"Well they may have taken a page from Cerberus' book but that's up for grabs."

"Any other organizations?"

"Who do you think I am Shepard?! I'm not a drug lord or kingpin, I just killed for groups like them."

"Ease up, your just my only source of information as of now. Later Wrex."

"Shepard."

Though the conversation with Wrex was fruitless Shepard had a hunch and decided to talk to Garrus to see if he might have any leads.

"Shepard, It seems like you want to talk to me"

"Yes I would. Do you know anything about a new crime syndicate that might specialize in infiltration and espionage?"

"Actually that does ring a bell. Before I started work on the Saren investigation I had a case that included a "spy" of sorts trying to get after what Fist was doing. That case has probably gone cold now, seeing that the last thing that went through Fist's head was a bullet."

"He didn't deserve to live any longer."

"Yes I agree with you on that decision, he had a rap sheet a mile long. I just have one question."

"What is it Garrus?"

"What rounds did you use?"

"Shredder."

"Ooow ouch. Anyway yes these two incidence might be linked, I'll look into it Shepard."

"Ok thanks for your help."

"You know Shepard I like the way you think, hates and despises criminals and punishes them with an iron fist, but to your comrades you are caring and willing to help. You know if you helped create C-sec I probably would have stayed on the Citadel."

"Well I'm glad I didn't create C-sec then."

"Ha! Your also quite humourous when you want to be."

"Thanks for the compliments Vakarian. Will it be my ass next time?"

"Um-no-not at all-no-um-...-no-"

"So your saying I don't have a nice ass?"

"Woah-no-wait-what?!"

"I'm only kidding with you. Chill out."

"That's not funny...you put me in an awkward position and I wasn't ready for it...besides I wouldn't think Citadel space would be ready for an inter-species relationship between two well know beings."

"Wait! Your saying you have feelings for me?!"

"No, now I'm pulling your chain."

"Well at least the mood has lightened up with you."

A full day has pasted and no signs of an entrance to the remains of the ship. The crew began to ease up and settle in for the night, a few stayed awake to resume the scanning. Shepard by now moved up to the crew quarters to grab a cup of coffee. Tali was beginning to feel better and not feel green, so to speak, and played a game of cards with Liara. Kaidan at his usual spot parked in front of the terminal doing god knows what for god knows how long. Shepard walked toward him with coffee in hand.

"Don't your eyes hurt doing what your doing for this long?"

"Nah I'm good Commander just working on the ship's data."

"Well can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"Actually I was going to wonder that way myself."

Kaidan managed to pry himself from the terminal and went to fetch a cup of coffee. Meanwhile Shepard leaned to the left a tad to get a glimpse of what the Lieutenant was working on. The Commander walked over to the table where Tali and Liara continued to play cards, she sat down at the far side of the table and put her cup down on the metal surface.

"Evening Commander."

"Evening Tali, feeling better?"

"Much, doctor Chakwas sure does a great job."

Shepard smiled at Tali.

"Good evening Liara"

"Good evening Commander. Want to join a game of Pazaak?"

"No thanks, im just going to relax thank you."

The two resumed their game. Shepard laid her head back on the chair in exhaustion caused by the none stop missions and the earlier battle with the Geth ships. All was quiet below deck, nothing but low humming and the shuffling of cards to entertain the mind. Kaidan came back with his coffee and sat down at the table in the chair directly in front of Shepard.

"So Commander how have things been lately?"

"Well to be honest, the same as always. We haven't found an entrance into Sovereign yet."

"How is that possible? The thing's a giant heap of junk, there should be holes everywhere."

"That's what I thought at first. Probably going to blow a hole in it tomorrow if things don't work out."

"I just feel like getting this over with. The sooner we stop hanging around Sovereign the faster we can forget about the Reapers."

"Not so fast Lieutenant, the Reapers are still coming, they just don't have a portal to go through so it'll take a while."

"I suppose your right about that, still it's a long ride from dark space to the galaxy."

Shepard nodded her head then took a sip of coffee. Kaidan looked at the contents of her cup.

"You drink black coffee Commander?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just find straight coffee to be you know, gross."

"I drink coffee to stay awake, not for leisure or taste."

"I personally like the things I consume tasting semi "pleasant"."

"Then why are you in the Military?"

Kadian laughed "Well definitely not for the food, ma'am"

The two talked for awhile about various things. At a point even Tali and Liara engaged in the conversation. Eventually things slowed down and the only ones left in the mess were Kaidan and Commander Shepard, whom were still chatting away.

"Well Alenko I think it's a bit passed our bed times."

"Yeah, I'm getting a little sleepy myself." Kaidan yawns.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow Lieutenant."

"Goodnight Commander."

Shepard got up from the table and walk to the captain's quarters for some sleep. A dim blue hue enveloped the room, refreshing cool climate combined with an almost impervious sound reduction system maintained the ambiance one would need for recuperative sleep. Shepard turned off the computer by her bed then took a bottle of pills and poured two into her hand then swallowed them. She crawled into bed, crisp sheets welcoming her, then closed her eyes.

A heavy impact hit in the lower left torso just under the rib cage of Shepard's body, a short exhausted yell escaped her lips as she clenched the wound with her hand, blood oozing from between her fingers. She dropped her assault rifle and grabbed the pistol off her left side, fired it toward the enemy killing one Batarian. Shepard stumbled into a trench falling on her back. She screamed as she got up and held tighter to her side. Shuffling to the side of the trench wall she put her pistol in her bloody hand and took a grenade from her belt. Back against the wall she peeked around the corner and saw to slavers coming for her, she tossed the grenade at their feet and detonated. Still applying pressure to the gun shot she ran passed the parts that were left of the slavers. Another slaver appeared above the trench, Shepard fired three shots all hitting the mans chest, he fell to the trench floor face first. A man jumped on Shepard from above, the two crashed to the floor. The slaver got up and began to walk toward Shepard while she was curled in pain having fell on her wound.

"So you're the one that's keeping this operation at a stand still?"

Shepard growled in pain

"A weak cowering woman... What a surprise..." The man kicked Shepard over and put his boot on her injury, leaning on it and twisting his foot. Shepard yelled with horrible agony.

"HA! A screamer! I'm going to have fun with you..." The man said conceiting with malice.

Shepard looked up at the man to see that horrible face... the face that killed her family.

"-You- you're the one that...killed my family..."

"Oh! Why what a coincidence... If it isn't the Shepard's daughter..."

Shepard reached for her pistol, but the man stepped on her hand.

"Still as opportunistic as always... It's a shame you escaped from me on Mindoir. We would have had one hell of a time... you would have made a nice lustrous sixteen year old succubus for me..." The man's eyes glistened with pure evil.

"You sick bastard..." Shepard then kicked the man in the groin and crawled toward the firearm. She grabbed it and turned around to fire, but the man dove on her and ripped the gun from her hand. He then pulled out a knife from his belt and straddled Shepard.

"Now you really pissed me off! No escape this time Shepard..." He grined menacingly. Bringing the knife closer and closer to her face he began to cackle wildly and laugh. Shepard tried to squirm her arms free but he held them down with his legs. The knifes edge facing towards Shepard's face.

"I think I might keep some of your beautiful brown hair as a souvenir when I'm done with you!"

The knife drew closer and closer to her right eye, it began to cut into her eyebrow. Shepard let out a dreadful scream only primal pain and terror could muster.

"Yeeesss! Scream more for me darling!!"

A mechanical sound came from under Shepard. The slaver paused in his work, then his right leg wavered and Shepard's arm came free, then the other. She yanked the knife from her eye and pulled the shotgun from under her. A crack of noise came from the shotgun, it had fired and blasted the mans right knee into pieces, tendons ripped and left to dangle, ligaments snapped from the loss of bone and sheer weight of his body, blood poured from the dismembered leg, now it was his turn to scream. Shepard quickly got up and ran down the trench toward the base she suffered for to protect, right hand holding her side and the left grasping the right side of her face, blooded flowing down her forearm.

"You'l-b-e-alright... your head-ed...to-th-ER-"

"Nurse!-massive-blood-oss...need-...-now!"

"She-..eed-s-emergency...transfusion-"

"Ocular...Biotic-implan-needed!"

Commander Shepard's eyes opened. She grabbed a pistol from under the mattress as fast as she could and pointed it forward. Nothing happened, nothing out of the ordinary.

"..It...was just a dream..." Shepard whispered.

She put the gun down and cradled her head with both hands. Shepard got up and grabbed the bottle of pills and looked at it, the bottle read 'RX: Synchronization Stimulant: Use to synchronize Biotic Prosthesis ONLY'. She threw it at the wall in anger, the pills scattered everywhere.

"Commander, we need you on the bridge ASAP."

Shepard ran upstairs and down the deck behind Joker.

"Commander we're gonna need to blow a hole in this bad boy to crack it."

"Fine by me joker, let's open her up."

A shot fired into the metal goliath rupturing a hole in the side. Out of the ship came a rather small object.

"Zoom in on that object Joker."

"Consider it done. Ma'am it appears to be a...mass relay?! About the three fourths the size of the Normandy."

"Go in. See where it takes us."

"Sure you want to be so bold about this?"

"Yes, do it."

The ship moved closer to the relay, nothing seems to be happening. Suddenly an arc of energy hit the Normandy, the relay became active. The ship began to rock violently and shake.

"Here we go hang on Commander!"

A white flash of light consumed the ship, it maintained it's brightness for about fifteen seconds then clouds and land began to appear.

"Joker! We're going to hit the deck! Pull up!" Shepard yelled.

"Whoa! Hang on everyone!"

The Normandy pulled up hard and began to slow down its decent to the ground. The two looked out the window and saw brown as far as the eye can see.

"Where are we Joker? Engage SPS."

"You are not going to believe this Commander!"

"What is it? A new solar system planet?"

"No... In fact we're in a very familiar one."

"Where?!"

"We are now flying above Baghdad, Iraq. We're on Earth Commander!"


	5. Joint Operation

"Let's mobilize marines! Head to the ships LZ, if it's hostile, we'll soon find out"

"Lieutenant. What about the wounded?"

"Set up a CP over near those buildings."

Walker pointed behind the position where the fight with the insurgents took place earlier. The Stryker moved over between two buildings with the wounded and medic inside. Three other marines set up a few tables they found inside the buildings outside to form a radio desk. Lieutenant Walker ordered the Abrams tank to follow him toward the ship, more marines began to walk beside the tank toward the new objective. Sand kicked up on the streets, news papers and trash blew around past the Americans. Bravo team joined Charlie as they passed an intersection.

"Sir, Sergeant First Class Will Preston in charge of fire team bravo, what should we do with our wounded?"

"Take them down the road back behind us we set up a CP and medical facility."

Preston ran back behind the ranks toward the APC and told the crew to take them down the road. The Stryker broke off from the main force to go off load the wounded and help protect with the other Abrams tank that was left behind. The allied force measured about twenty-six men with three M1A2 Abrams tanks forming a column with the men around and in between them. Building after building past, everyone scanned the windows, doors, and roof tops for any suspicious activity. The sound of treads rolling and the foot fall of infantry echoed around the urban environment.

"Enemy on the left! Top floor of the second building!" A marine shouted.

"Take cover!"

The people on the building shot a RPG toward the tanks, it missed and exploded several yards in front of the first tank. Two infantry men fired on the enemy position then ran behind the front tank.

"Iron eye! You are free to fire!" Walker slammed his fist on the side of the tank two times. The turret of the Abrams turned to the left then climbed toward the enemy. The two marines that took cover behind the tank ran to the right of it with their ears covered. A tremendous explosion erupted from the 120mm barrel, the top of the building blew to pieces and with it the insurgents. A ring of sand surrounded the tank along with the disturbed silt kicked up from the concussion. The group moved forward toward its destination crossing a highway and back into the final set of blocks to the open desert where the ship landed.

"Lieutenant Walker this is GhostShadow we are following you to the objective."

"Copy that, we need you to identify any hostile activity when you get in position. Over"

"Roger, moving out."

Alpha team took the roll of helping with the command post and protecting the wounded while Bravo and Charlie pushed forward to the unidentified ship.

"Charlie, Bravo this is Alpha, we have set up the command post, ready and waiting for orders."

"How are the wounded?"

"They are stable for now sir, going to see if we can call in a medevac."

"Good to hear Alpha carry on."

The sun beamed down upon the streets bombarding anyone in it's path with intense heat, no place for man nor beast. Private First Class Tyson "Stones" Smith walked beside Walker.

"Hey LT you believe in all that global warming shit?"

"Tell you the truth Stones that idea has been around forty years, I think it's all hype."

"Seems like the warming came and went up in this hell hole and skipped straight up to burnin'. There ain't nothing but sand left"

"You summed up this place pretty well. I'm sick of it... All we're fighting for now is nothing but a political sand box. Just so the guys in the seats can do what they want with the place and have it appear as if they are actually doing good in this world."

"You say "this world" like there are other worlds like us. You really believe that?"

Walker nodded his head still walking forward as if on a patrol.

The sand blew fiercely pelting Walker's desert camouflage and tactical vest. The Lieutenants bandanna shielded his nose and mouth from the sand, his tinted goggles protected his eyes from the sand and glare of the desert. Finally the marines reached the ship and began to cautiously approach it.

"Fan out and surround the ship, until we know what it is, be cautious of any hazardous material and or hostile activity. Don't fire till I give the order."

The fire teams surrounded the entrance of the ship with tanks fanned and marines on either side of them. Some marines went prone and others knelt and stood up, guns aimed toward the unknown aircraft, tension mounted.

"This better not be some war of the worlds shit right here..." Stones said behind walker.

"I don't know, might be a new aircraft from home. If it is I don't know why they didn't tell us."

"With all do respect, sir, with a name like "Normandy" I think it would, in fact, be our's." Jacobs remarked.

"Lieutenant, this is Alpha team we are now forwarding a transmission to you." The earpiece clicked and another voice came through.

"Charlie team this is Al-Asad Air Base we are sending in a Predator to survey your situation and determine the unknown aircraft."

"Copy, will remain at our current location." Walker replied.

The sand continued to whip and whirl around the aircraft and the marines around it, soothing and menacing at the same time.

"GhostShadow in position."

"Can you see anything from there GhostShadow?"

"No, not yet."

Time stood still as the wait grew longer and longer. The Predator flew over head close to the ground to view the ship, then it disappeared into the horizon.

"Charlie team, our UAV shows the aircraft. It's not ours."

"Well is it a top secret aircraft or something?"

"We can not confirm that at this time, wait for further orders."

"Roger that."

The excitement dulled down and the waiting game once more became the practice of the afternoon.

"It's opening." GhostShadow said quickly.

"Marines it's opening! Stand by!"

"Here it comes, watch out for the lasers Jacobs."

"Shut up Stones..."

The aircrafts hangar opened slowly, no sign of anyone so far within the ship. Then three figures emerged from the hangar.

"Count Three unknown personnel."

"What are they doing GhostShadow?"

"They have their hands up, looks like Americans to me."

The three figures came closer and closer to the marines, everyone dead still.

"Jacobs, do we have speakers on this thing?"

"No sir"

"Why not?!"

"It's a Tank, sir."

"Alright. Jacobs, Stones your with me."

The three marines stood up and headed to the unknown personnel. The two groups moved closer and closer until they met, five feet apart.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Walker asserted.

"I am Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy, this is Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko and Doctor Chakwas."

"I'm First Lieutenant Jason Walker, this is Corporal Jacob Kebler and Private First Class Tyson Smith. What are you doing here?"

"Unknown reasons Lieutenant, we are just as shocked as you are."

"Your kidding me...right?"

Suddenly a firefight erupted behind Walker and his group, shots were heard over the headset.

"Bloody hell! Their on to us-" GhostShadow yelled before more shots blared through the earpiece.

"Walker! behind your position -_gun shots-_ enemies at your six!-" the voice cut out and scuffling and rattling took over, then a click and silence.

"Marines! GhostShadows in trouble! Let's get em' out of there!" Walker yelled toward his team.

"We'll come too"

"We don't know where you came from or who you work for, you-"

"If I'm not mistaken your teammates are in serious trouble, seems to me you could use all the help you can get."

"Alright... but if you or your squad do as much as touch one of my men without their knowing I'll put a bullet through your head..." The two locked eyes, Shepard glaring at Walker as he jogged away.

"Marines! Let's move out!"

"Oorah!" A few marines yelled.

The group mobilized and headed to the last known location of the sniper team moving at running speed. Marines ran in and out of alleys looking for signs of the fight, the Abrams tanks moved through the road while other marines ran beside them. Everything on the road grinded to a halt.

"I-E-D!" A marine shouted.

"Damn it! We don't have time for this. Private! Shoot it!"

"Yes sir!"

The marine walked back several steps and fired his M16 blowing the bomb in a massive cloud of smoke that shot into the air. The private turned and walked towards the group in a showing of manner, then bullets hit the group behind him, he ran as the bullets were pelting the ground behind him before he took cover behind the tank.

"Enemy machine gun!"

"Where is it!?"

The machine gun sprayed rounds around the tank hitting it every so often. The marines returned fire toward where the bullets were coming from. Shepard ran to the front tank and jumped over a marine that was crouched behind the tank, she then ran out in the open firing several shots at the insurgents.

"Holy shit! Did you see that?!" a marine yelled at the one who got jumped over.

"What is she doing!"

Shepard slammed her back against the wall taking cover from the bullets. The forward tank caught a glimpse of the machine gun nest and fired a round into it blowing the building to smithereens. More fire came from the other end of the road, more insurgents poured from the buildings to attack the tank column. Shepard fired at the enemy stopping several dead in their tracks. Marines fired at the mass of insurgents killing many at once and more fell down here and there as the fire was unleashed. The tank fired at the enemy blowing holes in the ranks of men that rushed from an opening in a fence. More and more came from the buildings and took cover around the road shooting back at the marines. Walker threw a grenade toward the insurgents blowing up right in front of a road block two tangos took cover behind. Kaidan ran to the left of the tanks and began to unload rounds down range. Walker ran toward Shepard and ducked behind the doorway next to her.

"That was a nice trick you pulled, surprised you didn't get killed."

"You don't need to worry about us, we have shields built into our armor."

"What?!?"

"S-h-i-e-l-d-s"

"I know that, but, how the hell did you get those!"

"Long story."

Bullets blared past the two as the fighting raged on, Walker peered out of cover and shot back then Shepard did the same. The tanks and marines moved up a few riflemen scattered out from behind the tanks and took cover in doorways and walls, anything that would provide protection from the maelstrom of bullets and chaos. Walker put his hand on his earpiece and shouted into the mic.

"Alpha come in!"

"We hear you"

"Call for close air support! We are taking heavy fire and our tanks can't reach!"

"Copy that, stand by."

The fighting grew with every passing second, each shot fired became a catalyst to the next. The tanks stood still like an iron wall as they shielded the marines from enemy fire. Shepard turned to look to the left and saw two marines, one crouched behind a table while the other stood behind him firing back. She ran over to them and motioned for them to get behind her, bullets hit and stopped at the force field around Shepard. The two marines complied and huddled behind her, then the three ran into a café. As soon as the two men got to safety they busted out the windows with the butt of their rifles and immediately began firing.

"Thanks for saving our asses ma'am. That table was about to give way."

"Don't mention it."

Shepard ran back outside to assist Walker's men. Walker still knelt behind the Abrams witnessed Shepard's deed, stunned.

"Charlie this is Gryphon-one for close air support."

"Roger Gryphon-one, look for the laser mark."

"Uh, copy that, over."

Walker looked in his pack for a laser sight but couldn't find one then he crawled over to Jacobs.

"Corporal! You got that laser?"

"Yes sir. Right pouch."

Walker dug out the laser sight, inspected it for a bit then turned it on and handed it to Jacobs.

"Mark a target closest to the maximum amount of enemies!"

"Yes sir!"

Jacobs leaned to the left out of the cover of the tank and aimed the laser down range. A stray bullet caught Jacobs in the left shoulder and he went down in a turn.

"Jacobs!" Walker called out. Then he dropped his gun and firmly grabbed him with both hands and pulled him behind the tank.

"Where are you hit!"

"Aaaaah!- the shoulder sir!"

Blood escaped from Jacobs body and soaked into the surrounding clothing. Walker ripped some gauze from Jacobs pack and pressed on the wound.

"Man down! Medic! We need a medic!"

Kaidan heard Walker yell and ran to the scene.

"Medic! Where's a damn medic!"

Kaidan bolted to the back of the tank and skid as he stopped to help Jacobs.

"I'll help, Lieutenant. I'm not a certified medic but I'm trained as one." Kaidan grabbed some medi-gel from his pack.

"Crap... I'm going to have to apply this manually..."

"Can you do this?"

"Yes...yes I can, just gimme a minute..."

Kaidan snapped the vial of medi-gel and dumped it on Jacobs wound, then began to apply it.

"Wh...what is that stuff...!" Jacobs questioned in a shocked tone.

"Medi-gel, best thing to come out of the medical labs since aspirin. It reads the tissue it's placed near and automatically forms into whatever is wounded. Hell... it could form a new kidney if it had to. But don't worry it dissolves as new organic tissue replaces it."

"Bull shit..." Walker said in sheer amazement.

"No It really-"

"Grenade!" a marine yelled.

A green spherical shaped thing clanked behind Kaidan. Walker bursted from his position and jumped over Jacobs, picking up the object he hurled it back at the insurgents, the grenade blew up in the middle of the street.

"That was close..." Walker said under his breath.

Jacobs' wound was taken care of and Kaidan and walker picked him up and moved him out of harms way. Walker picked up the laser sight and aimed it at the previous location.

"Charlie team, I don't see the target.."

"Wait for it Gryphon-one."

The laser zeroed in and made a pinging noise indicating it locked onto the location.

"See it now Gryphon-one?"

"Tally-ho."

Rockets blasted into the ground with an all mighty boom, buildings began to crumble, shrapnel and debris scattered. An A-10 Thunderbolt II screamed overhead, the noise of the engines boomed like massive war drums, shaking everything on the ground.

"Coming around for another pass."

"Roger that Gryphon-one, let em' have it!"

The A-10 turned back in the distance and fired more rockets at the target, blowing anything left into dust.

"Gryphon-one RTB to rearm and refuel."

"Copy. Marines! Let's move!"

The tanks rolled forward followed by the infantry, rubble crushed under the weight of the Abrams. Shepard Rounded up her team and walked next to the second Abrams.

"Marines! Search the buildings for any sign of GhostShadow." Walker yelled to his men.

"Kaidan, follow me. Let's follow those marines into the alley. Chakwas, stay her and tend to the injured."

"At your six commander."

The marines followed by Shepard ran into the narrow passageway looking for any clues to the whereabouts of the missing sniper team. The group divided into smaller groups to breach into buildings. Shepard ran up to a two story building and got into breaching position.

"In position." Kaidan said.

Shepard quickly turned toward the door and kicked it open, the two breached inside and searched the room for enemies, pistols drawn. Kaidan signaled all clear and Shepard did the same, then she motioned to head upstairs. Carefully moving upstairs they pointed their guns at the top of the stairs then around behind on the second floor.

"We need back-up!" a marine yelled.

"Kaidan, go help them I'll finish up here."

"If you say so."

Kaidan went back downstairs and out the door toward the call for help. Shepard, still inside the building, silently walked on the second floor to a door. She brought her eyes to the floor and saw three bronze cartridges on the ground, probably from a 9mm handgun. Shepard then moved even more cautiously to the door then slowly put her left shoulder on it with the gun pointed to the opening side. With a quick jolt Shepard opened the door and there stood three insurgents and two men tied in chairs.

"Move and you die..." Shepard said with her gun aimed at the insurgent in front of her.

"Put the guns down!"

The three slowly put their weapons to the ground and came back up with their hands up.

"Now, go over to the-" Shepard suddenly stopped talking and dropped her pistol. Then she fell to her knees with her hands holding her head and right eye. She let out a yell in pain then hunched over griping her face in agony, teeth clamped shut in utter, devastating pain. One of the men standing yelled words in a foreign tongue, then the man in front of Shepard picked up his AK-47 and slammed the butt of the gun into the back of Shepard's head, she collapsed to the floor.

Shepard's eyes began to open slightly only to see colors and lights, then a hand struck her across the face. She shook her head and looked up to see another hand strike her across the face. Shepard tried to move but quickly realized she was bound to a chair by duck tape and rope.

"Te-l me-!... whe-r- are...-" an angered voice shouted barely comprehendible.

"Tell-me-no-w!"

Another hand came, this time it was a punch to the stomach. Shepard shouted by the force of the punch then she started gasping for air.

"Tell me! Where are the Americans! What are they planning!"

Shepard said nothing, still winded from the blow. The man grabbed her head by the chin and hair then brought his face close to her's.

"tell me you American pig! What are you planning!"

"...Go to hell..." Shepard said in a crude tone then spit in the mans face.

He jerked her head backward and let go, wiping his face. The man slowly walked a few steps away then whipped around backhanding Shepard in the face. Shepard's head flung to the right and hung there in pain.

"I'll have to find...more, persuasive measures..." The man grinned.

He walked out of the tent leaving Shepard. Shepard looked around the tent to see pools of blood around the place and a man tied the same way in the left part of the tent.

"You GhostShadow?" Shepard questioned

the man looked up

"yeah... well the sniper anyway, they took my spotter in another tent. If you hadn't pulled that bloody soap opera trick we just may of well have been freed..."

"... my fault now huh..."

"Pretty much. Anyway I like how you stood up to those hits and still pulled off a smart ass move."

Shepard smirks

"He hits like a Hanar."

"A what?"

"Never mind."

"Well I bet you a pretty penny that he took it easy on you."

"You got something to say?!"

"No... probably doesn't want to hurt you too much before tonight... that's all."

"I'd be killed before I ever let that happen..."

"Well that makes two of us..."


	6. Semper Fidelis

**This Chapter made me go insane trying to upload it. The new computer I got uses only microsoft works and not just plain MS Word. So I had to email this to myself and copy/paste it to Word. Also the new computer crashes ever five minutes due to poor manufacturing. All together It was a get in get out process... very fun... So if there's any funny spacing or paragraphing it's because of that.**

* * *

Wind blew under the bottom of the tent, the fabric swayed like tassels left out to dry. A calm aroma of nature hung in the air almost causing Shepard believe that she was somewhere else, rather than in the middle east in enemy hands. Then the air became sweeter in smell growing to a more pleasant taste.

"What's that smell?" Shepard asked.

"...rain..." The sniper replied.

The light under the opening of the tent grew dimmer and a silence covered the camp.

"Alright... If they aren't coming for us then we need to rescue ourselves. They took my equipment over in another tent, probably where their holding my spotter."

"You have a plan? I was thinking of killing the next person who comes through and use whatever they have to cut ourselves free."

" I was going to say the same thing."

"Then we have a plan."

The two grew quiet waiting for someone to come. Then a few minutes later something outside started to rattle, it was a cart outside. The tent flap swung open and a cart rolled in with small pieces of equipment on it; scalpels, drills, saws, and other sharp objects. The man that rolled the cart in took a syringe off the platform and flicked to get rid of any bubbles then sprayed some fluid out of the hypodermic needle. The man walked over to Shepard and pushed her head to the left exposing her neck, then he drove the needle into Shepard's neck, she bared her teeth as she felt the sharp metallic sting. He injected a substance into Shepard's neck then took out the needle and walked back to the cart.

"So -_clanking of metal-_ you going to tell me what I want to know…?" His thick middle eastern accent was prominent.

Shepard's vision became fogged and she started to feel lethargic. The man stood still with his back faced to the Commander. Shepard shook her head trying to get rid of the unwanted euphoric state. The British sniper looked at the man with an infuriated expression, angered by what he had done to Shepard.

"In that case let's get started..." The insurgent said in a soft tone.

Then he turned with a scalpel in hand toward Shepard.

"Wait..."

"Yes?"

"I'll tell you what you want to know..." Shepard's voice weakened.

"Excellent."

The insurgent walked closer still holding the scalpel and leaned over Shepard.

"…You forgot to tie my legs..."

The man's eyes widened as he looked down toward Shepard's legs. Shepard kneed the insurgent in the hand, forcing his hand up causing the scalpel to penetrate his neck. He fell over and started gurgling and hissing blood from his wound. Shepard lifted her leg and slammed her heel down upon the scalpel shoving the instrument deeper. A snapping, popping sound came from the man's throat as it pierced his larynx.

"Perfect." The sniper said.

"here we go."

Shepard shuffled in her chair toward the cart. She stood up, as well as a person with a chair strapped to their back could, grabbed a sharp utensil then slowly cut the rope around her hands. With her hands freed she cut the rope around her waist and walked over to the sniper to cut him free.

"Ok, now we need to get our gear and free my spotter."

The two crept to the tent's entrance, the sniper popped his head out to make sure the coast was clear. They traveled ever so cautiously out of their tent and in front of the tent parallel to the one they were in. Although worn, The olive drab tent looked much like a US army GI tent. Ripples moved across the canvas like a serpent across a sandy dune. The sniper slowly moved into the tent then Shepard followed. In the tent two insurgents stood in front of GhostShadow's spotter, he was bound to the chair in a similar fashion. The sniper looked around the room and found his belongings on the ground by the entrance, he quietly rummaged through it and found a combat knife. Sheppard ,with the scalpel still in hand, waited for the moment to strike. The British sniper took a few steps toward the insurgent and flipped the knife in his hand for a better stabbing grip, while Shepard slowly moved in position behind the other man. With a burst of violence the sniper ran up behind the insurgent and plowed his knife deep down through the insurgent's trapezius muscle, passing between the collar bone and neck, into the rib cage before finally tearing into the heart. The British sniper quickly pulled the knife out. Thick, dark, crimson blood rushed from the wound as the insurgent's body collapsed to the floor. Shepard grabbed the other enemy around the head and slit his throat with the scalpel, the arterial spray jetted from the left and right carotid arteries and splattered to the dirt floor.

"That was a clean slice from ear to ear, how did you know how to do that?"

"Took some classes once upon a time."

With the two men out of the way the sniper walked over to check on his teammate.

"Christ!... the bastard's shot him!" The sniper spoke with anger but still in a low tone of voice.

The spotter had two bullet holes in his chest, blood stained the front of his uniform.

"I'm sorry for your loss..."

"...he was a good man...bloody good spotter too...argh! Damn it!"

The sniper grabbed his head with anger knowing full well that he couldn't yell or kick anything.

"Alright...let's get moving...?"

"Shepard, Commander Shepard."

"Captain MacGregor… Alright enough with the formalities, let's grab our gear."

MacGregor dug into his pack and pulled out a giant bunch of what looked like grass. Then he slung the mass at Shepard.

"Here put this on, I saw a brushy area to the west of this camp, we'll head there."

"What is it?!"

"It's a ghillie suit, standard issue for the lot of us, sniper's that is. Once we hit the brush we can take some flora and put it in the suit to change the colour. I don't know how much training in stealth and sniper tactics you have so follow what I say exactly."

The two started putting on the suits when Shepard stumbled and nearly fell to the floor but caught herself on a table.

"You Alright?"

"Yeah... I'm fine, just light headed."

"Must be that Sodium Pentothal they gave you."

"Sodium Pentot-?! They still use that?"

"Last time I checked it was the twenty-first century, so yes they still use it."

"Never mind."

Shepard put her hand on her forehead to try and sooth the dizziness then continued to put the rest of the ghillie on.

"Those little Hasbro guns you had when you tried to rescue us aren't going to cut it, take this. It's a M40 sniper rifle, your marines gave me two."

MacGregor threw the M40 to Shepard. She caught it with her right hand.

"Primitive, but effective." Shepard said with a grin.

Shepard looked at the sniper rifle inspecting the mechanics and bushy rifle wrap on it. MacGregor also tossed some ammunition and a silenced pistol to Shepard to put on.

"How do I put these on?"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"No it's just I'm not used to weapons like these."

"Why not? What are you from the future?"

"Actually- it's a long story, I'll tell you once we're out of here."

"Alright, well here take this. And the rifle goes around your shoulder, that's what the strap is for."

MacGregor tossed a holster with a strap to go around the hip for the pistol.

MacGregor walked out of the tent followed by Shepard and began to make their way into a cargo area a few feet away from the tents.

"Hold here" The captain said with his hand up signaling to stop.

He slightly moved his head from behind the box then returned his head back to cove in a flash.

"Two guards at three O' clock. Take em' out, quietly."

MacGregor crouched slowly to the other side of the passage and Shepard moved to where the Captain was the previous moment for a shot. They both aimed, and with a single click both guards dropped to the ground. MacGregor gave Shepard a thumbs up then scurried further up the passage to another intersection where they crouched behind some oil drums.

"Wait for my mark…" The Captain whispered.

A car passed the two, unaware due to the shadows they were concealed in. MacGregor motioned to move and they ran across the road still crouching. More tents lined the narrow path they were following, crates of various sizes also made their home along the walk way. The sky filled with a murky gray hung over head, drips of rain specked the sandy ground offering patterns to those with imaginations. The wind was a dead calm granting little reprieve from the beads of sweat that ran down Shepard's face under the ghillie's veil. Non-stop the two ran, quietly moving under the skyline of the camp. The sodium pentothal still had a stranglehold on Shepard, fogged judgment, light headedness, and unclear sight all tormented Shepard's mind. But as long as she followed MacGregor's words they'd make it through, this was constant in her mind. They came upon another intersection that blocked their progress. MacGregor again peered his head out by the smallest amount to get a vantage point.

"All clear, let's move forward." He whispered with a ring of Scottish accent.

MacGregor ran across the road, shortly after Shepard did the same. The shrub land was about twenty yards away when Shepard noticed noise from a big rectangular tent to the left.

"Captain, the tent."

MacGregor stopped in his tracks and turned to face Shepard.

"what?"

"There's something going on in that tent." Shepard pointed to the left.

The mechanic sound was made again, this time Shepard recognized it.

"They have my weapons. We can't let them have those guns."

"Ok, you head around the left and I'll go right."

The two went around the tent to the entrance where there stood two guards on either side, facing each other. MacGregor motioned to kill them by moving his hand across his neck, Shepard nodded. Yelling erupted from the tent, this was their chance. They both grabbed the guards at the same time and fired a round point blank into the guards back upper torso. The shouting continued in the tent as Shepard and MacGregor dragged the bodies to the sides of the tent.

"Plant some Claymores in front of the entrance, I'll get their attention"

MacGregor pulled out two M18A1 Claymores from his pack and threw one to Shepard. They set them in place and Shepard threw the trip wire to MacGregor to arm his.

"Ok, go take cover I'll distract them."

"Don't get to caught up in distraction to forget to run away."

Shepard moved to the back of the tent and MacGregor walked in front of the entrance.

"Oi! Muhammad! Come get some of this!" MacGregor yelled slapping his behind at the insurgents inside.

The Three inside picked up their guns and began to chase the captain as he ran off. The trip wire made a click and both claymores detonated simultaneously. The metal balls and shrapnel ripped through the three men like a shotgun blast to a phone book. Shepard ran to the front of the tent, jumping over the mangled, twitching bodies, inside and gathered her guns from the table in the tent.

"Let's move, there's going to be a lot more of them."

Shepard and MacGregor ran out in the field and into the waist high grass. They continued to push through the grass foot by foot, practically invisible in their ghillies. Crawling under the top of the grass they heard yelling and gun shots come from the camp.

After about thirty minutes crawling through dense shrubbery they stopped for a moment to rest.

"Whew… That was a bit hairy in there." MacGregor sighed in relief.

"I liked how you got their attention back there."

"ah, I got millions of em'. Shoulda' seen the look on their faces."

MacGregor took a drink of water from his canteen, then offered it to Shepard. She grabbed the canteen and took a drink of water.

"I think it's safe to get on the horn now if you want to see what your platoon's doing."

Shepard put her hand up to her ear.

"Joker, come in Joker."

"Where have you been commander!?"

"I was tied up in prior engagements. What's your status?"

"Right now we're in the same spot where you left us commander. Alenko took control of the shore party while you were "away""

"what are they doing?"

"Right now, looking for you ma'am. He called Garrus out to help find you. It's not nice leaving us high and dry like that."

"He did what!? Didn't you tell him that there was a direct order Not to bring out any post contact beings?!"

"All able bodied humans are on the ground, he said Garrus would steer clear of any humans. Besides, it was about finding you commander."

"I'll have a talk with him later. Right now I'm requesting immediate extraction Joker."

"Roger that Commander, ETA five minutes."

Shepard took her hand off her ear and looked into the clouds. MacGregor looked back at the camp, now a few miles away. The rain began to come down heavier, making the outer part of the ghillie suits wet and unfavorable.

"ha, the bloody few times it rains here just happens to be the day we're out here escaping from terrorists in these swamp monster outfits." MacGregor remarked sitting under a withered palm tree with his rifle across his knees.

The two waited under two palm trees, keeping watch for any followers from the camp. Three minutes later the Normandy swooped from above the clouds and landed near Shepard and MacGregor. MacGregor got up and offered a hand to help Shepard up.

"For cutting me lose." He smiled, although masked by the ghillie hood.

Shepard grabbed his hand and hopped up on her feet, then both ran to the Normandy.

Over at the Command Post Walker and his men met up with Alpha team and started to devise a plan to remove the Al Qaeda presence in the area. Walker and a couple of his higher ranking NCOs' studied a map of the area on a table under a tent roof.

"Where we came from seems pretty clear."

"What about southeast of there?"

"Might yield some tangos. What do you think Lieutenant?"

"Seems pretty likely that any of them that survived might have fled through there."

Walker pointed at a position on the map, looked at everyone around the map and nodded his head. Then he walked off toward a house that was turned into a medical barracks. Inside a few marines sat near the wall in chairs, they had bandages on their arms and heads. To the right of the room more severely wounded marines lied down in cots. Walker sat in a chair next to one of the cots.

"Hey, how you holding up Kel?"

"… Doing alright I guess. Doctor Chakwas really knows her stuff. Haven't seen her before."

"Yeah she's new. How's that new medicine working out?"

"Works wonders sir. Glad to see my taxes doing something."

"After today we'll get you out of here and on a safe flight to Germany. Get you back to your family."

"What do you have to go back to Lieutenant?" Sergeant Kelly remarked.

"huh?"

"Once your tour is up. What are you going back home to?"

"Well, I have my wife and hopefully kid to get back to in Pennsylvania."

"Where in Pennsylvania?"

"Williamsport."

"You said you were expecting a baby?" Kelly inquired.

"Hopefully. Jennifer, my wife, said something about it last time we talked, I think she might want to surprise me when I get back."

Kelly smiled

"hmm, double J's married, pretty cute Walker."

"Thanks… I get that a lot. Luck of the draw I guess."

"I would have never guessed you were married, I've never seen you wear your ring."

"I don't wear it into combat, it's a superstitious thing."

"I guess we all have our reasons."

"yea, sure do. Well I'll let you get back to healing, got to sort a few things out with the men, have a good one sergeant. Carry on."

Walker stood up and left the building. Kelly looked up at the ceiling with a smile, glad knowing that a person like Walker has a good life back in the United States.

"Sir! The ships coming back!" a marine yelled pointing to the sky.

Walker ran into the street to see the Normandy flying down to the CP, then two people jumped out of the cargo bay in the distance. Walker ran to the two personnel followed by several marines. Both groups met halfway in the road.

"Commander, where have you been?" Walker questioned.

"I found your sniper."

"Where?"

"We were both captured by the enemy, but managed to escape."

"Did you map where their base of operations is located?"

"I placed a beacon where it was." McGregor interrupted.

"You did?" Shepard questioned.

"Yes commander. Remember my spotter. We have transmitters implanted after we graduate training, it's how we deal with MIA cases."

The group walked back to the command post to discuss coordinates.

"Ok, GhostShadow you have the coordinates?"

"Right here mate."

MacGregor handed Walker a small GPS device.

"Plug this into a computer and forward the Intel to the nearest air base."

Walker plugged a cord into the bottom of the GPS linking it to a laptop.

"Al Asad Air Base, are you getting this information?"

"We are receiving the intelligence now."

"I need an air strike on that position ASAP."

"We will send one as soon as we can."

The mood lightened around the table, a little shocked to find that there might not be another day of fighting. MacGregor even managed to crack a smile. Stones walked over to see what was going on.

"Walker, what's goin' on?"

"Our sniper managed to locate the insurgent's main camp in the region."

"They don't normally camp in one spot..."

"doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me either, but I'll take a break wherever I can get it."

"Alright, seems our main dog on the roofs managed to grant us more off time."

"anything to end this war a little bit faster mate." MacGregor replied.

The day began to turn into dusk as the talking went on, the rain still fell from the sky at a steady pace. The rain tapped on the tent's roof above, soothing to the ears after hearing gun shots for most of the day.

Low pitch thunder was heard off in the distance later that evening, flashes reflected off of the clouds from the air strike far away. The makeshift Command Post was to be the marines sleeping quarters for the night. It was confirmed over the radio that reinforcements were to relieve the marines and once again capture Baghdad. As for Garrus and Kaidan, they were picked up in the Normandy soon after Shepard was dropped off at the CP.

"thanks for all the help you gave us Commander Shepard, you saved many of my men's lives today. Sorry for the rocky first encounter. But I'm still unclear on who you are or why your even here. Ah forget it, probably going to get brainwashed anyway."

"Don't worry about it. There's still questions to be answered. I'll have to contact my superiors and tell them what happened… That's going to be fun… Let's go doctor Chakwas."

Shepard and doctor Chakwas began to walk on the road away from the marines. The Normandy once more appeared from the clouds and hovered above the ground before finding an opening to land. Walker suddenly sprinted from his position toward the Normandy, running at top speed. The distance between the ship and Walker started to close. Faster and faster he ran getting closer to Shepard and the doctor. Finally Chakwas got onto the ship and headed for the elevator while Shepard stepped up on the Normandy's cargo ramp. But Walker tackled her into the ship. Walker then pulled the pistol from his hip and fired it three times. The cargo door began to close, Shepard and Walker's bodies slid down the ramp into the cargo bay entangled. The ship began to take off but the same white light that brought them into this place in time started to appear, engulfing the Normandy with a brilliant bright light. More and more the light consumed the world around, blinding everything with the immense glow. An opening ruptured in the air space in front of the ship. Then the ship was gone, vanished into thin air…


	7. Why I am

**ok, your wait for chapter 7 has ended. Sorry for the Huge break, but I'm not going to say anymore excuses.. maybe one, my 'editer'/ mistake spotter/ brother has gone AWOL so any mistakes he would spot out (misspellings, weird box things caused by switching format, and gramatical errors) please tell me if you spot any so that I may edit them.**

* * *

An eerie lapse of suspension enveloped the beings aboard the Normandy. The cold blackness of space once again surrounded the frigate. Below deck in the garage madness stirred. Shepard and Walker started to move after being dropped to the floor. Shepard regained her senses, slowly crawling on her hands and knees. Walker, still lying on his back, took off his kevlar helmet with the pistol still in his hands. The two stood up, within a blink of an eye Shepard grabbed Walker's hand, twisted it around her back and disarmed him in one fluent motion. Then she flipped Walker over and slammed his back to the ground.

"Aah! What the hell?! I just-" Walker said right before Shepard punched him in the chest. Walker grabbed Shepard by the arms then flipped her over him to the ground. She hit the metallic floor with a blunt force. Walker tried to subdue Shepard but his efforts were met with a swift elbow to the face.

"God damn it! listen to me!"

Shepard jumped up on her feet and stood in front of Walker.

"The gun shots were all I needed to hear..." Shepard said with anger.

Then She kicked him in the side of the head, knocking off his orange tinted ballistic glasses. Walker fell to the floor with his face down. He moved his hand near his head and clutched the ground trying to get up. Shepard grabbed her pistol from her hip and aimed it at Walker. Gathering his strength, Walker made it to his knees only to look down the barrel of Shepard's gun.

"Don't. Move." Shepard asserted.

Walker sighed, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling. Without hesitation Walker lifted up his right leg and propelled himself forward, tackling Shepard. The pistol flew from her hands as she hit the ground. Walker, noticing he had knocked the wind out of Shepard, grabbed her arms and pined them down with his hands to the floor above her head. With his legs he folded his ankles over both of her knees restricting her from kicking. Walker quickly took off his bandana, trying to get Shepard to understand him.

"Listenཀ I just sa-"

Out of no where a kick struck Walker in the ribs. He tumbled off Shepard about five feet away. Holding his side, Walker groaned in pain.

"Commanderཀ are you alright?" Garrus question in confusion.

"I'm fine."

Garrus grabbed Shepard's hand and lifted her up to her feet. Shepard walked over to pick up Walker's pistol.

"Back off E.T." Walker ordered to Garrus with Shepard's pistol pointed at him.

"Don't do anything you're going to hate yourself for later Walker." Shepard said, trying to negotiate with him.

"I've already done a few things." He said under his breath.

"Walker. Don't do this..." Garrus announced cautiously.

"It talks!?" Walker questioned in mass confusion toward Shepard.

Garrus took this chance to run at Walker, gaining momentum, and kicked him straight in the sternum. The gun dropped and Walker again flew backwards, skidding on the metal floor. Walker curled up on the floor due to having suffered two kicks from a Turian's massive legs.

"Shit!...ah! The ribs again!!- Son of a Bitch...!" Walker rambled reeling in pain.

"You alright?" Shepard questioned.

"Agh..No! I'm not alright. I jump into some strange ship to save your life. Get locked in, not knowing where the hell I am. Shortly after I get my ass kicked by an Alien. And still I don't get a 'Thanks'. So yeah... I'm not alright -_coughs-"_

"I was talking to your 'E.T.'-Wait, saved my life?!" Shepard yelled intriguingly.

"Yes! I would have told you that hadn't you kicked me into oblivion... -_cough- _There was a guy on the roof aiming at you. I jumped on you to prevent him from shooting. Those three shots were fired at him, not you." He exclaimed gasping for air.

Shepard's eyes widened with regret for ignoring Walker's plea to explain his actions. She wrapped her hand around her forehead, shaking her head in frustration.

"I'm sorry Walker... I jumped the gun on that one." Shepard's voice dimmed.

"It's alright -_muffled groan- _we're all jumpy." Walker replied staggering to his feet."You mind telling me who your friend is." Walker, still half bent over, lifted up his hand to motion toward Garrus while his other arm cradled his chest.

"This is Garrus. He's a Turian."

"Welcome to the twenty second century." Garrus remarked with a lightened tone.

"Excuse me!?"

"We're back to our place in time?" Shepard questioned.

"Yes Commander, I ran it through with Joker before I came down here."

"... Not good..." Walker growled to himself. The two stood there for a moment to observe Walker's reaction to the news. He paced in a circle rubbing the scruff on his face then moved his finger tips through his short brown hair. He then leaned his head backwards with his arms folded behind his head and his fingered interlaced to support his neck.

"This is every kid's dream. Traveling into the future." Walker gasped.

"You going to be alright? It's a bit shocking for us too." Shepard said with concern.

"Commander, a word with you on the deck." Joker announced over the loud speaker.

"On my way."

Shepard looked at Garrus and nodded, then she walked to the elevator and boarded it. The elevator slowly made it's way to the quarters of the ship. The Turian and Human stood there for a while, nothing but the sound of soft humming stirred the air between them.

"No hard feelings, Garrus?" Walker tried to break the ice.

"None taken."

"Your foot ok?"

"Ha, my foot's fine." Garrus said with a 'smirk'. Walker began to regain his mind after being told that he had just jumped 173 years. He took off his body armor, vest, and camel pack setting them on the floor, then he picked up his M4 Carbine that had been knocked off his shoulder after he tackled Shepard into the ship.

"So, cruising around in my battle dress uniform is probably going to make me look ancient now, right?" Walker questioned.

"Very." A swift reply came from Garrus.

Walker looked down at his uniform and shrugged, if he was the only one that liked it, so be it.

On the bridge Shepard stood behind Joker waiting for the message.

"Alright Commander. I found some information about our little 'incident' "

"And it is?" She waited for Joker to tell of his findings.

"According to the laws of the space-time continuum and time travel theories." Joker cleared his throat. "One could only go back in time as far as the first second the time machine was first turned on."

Shepard's eyes froze with shock. Her face blank as a sheet of paper. Questions poured into her thoughts, she nearly fell from her knees buckling after hearing Joker's findings.

"This means... Someone made a time machine in the year twenty-ten?!" Shepard finally spoke.

"Or further back, that's what im thinking."

"Why aren't you blown away by this?!"

"I was. This is extraordinary stuff Commander! If we tell the brass about this we would be famous!" Joker yelled.

"Probably be locked away forever too... Seeing that it was made in 2010 or before. We may have stumbled upon a top secret project."

"Then why did Saren have it?"

"I'll have to tell this to Hackett and Anderson when we report back."

"What about the whole 'locked up' thing you mentioned?"

"It'll be off the record until we find out more."

"How are you sure they wont just tell anyways? Eh... I'll take your word for it commander. Just don't forget to put my name in."

"Have I ever?" She stated while she walked to the galaxy map. Joker smiled as his eyes broke off Shepard and floated back to his work. The Commander walked on the platform of the map with both her hands on either side of the railing.

"Transmission coming in, it's the Admiral." Joker forwarded to Shepard.

"Patch it through to the comm room." She replied. Then Shepard walked down the ramp and into the door leading to the room.

"Your awfully fast to keep in contact Admiral." Shepard stated.

"The Normandy dropped out of contact about a day ago Commander, we where starting to worry. What did you find?"

"It's some sort of mass relay that caused the signal, we followed it through but found no sign of the Salarians."

"Where did it lead to?"

"This is going to be off the record Admiral, until we better understand what happened."

"Transmission recording is turned off, tell me what you know."

"So far it seemed that the mass relay isn't much of a mass relay at all but rather some sort of device that transported us to a place in history. A time machine if you will. It brought us to the twenty first century, twenty-ten to be more specific, during the Iraq war."

"...Interesting Commander... Are you sure of what you saw?" Hackett replied with uncertainty.

"Positive, we have personnel from the time period on board."

"If what your telling me is true, that's a dangerous idea."

"He's enlisted in the U.S. military Marine Corps. If it was anything like it is today he should be trained to deal with immense mental trauma. Besides, coming aboard was his idea."

"I will not ask you to explain that story, I believe you Commander. You should tell this to councilman Anderson, he should understand your findings. Unlocking the truth about Saren and the Reaper's was far-fetched to most, but so is this, bring the marine with you, just incase Anderson needs 'proof'."

"Understood Admiral."

"Hackett out."

Shepard crossed her arms and stood silent for a moment, pondering the method on how to positively inform councilman Anderson of the news. Behind her the doors opened, the sound of footsteps followed.

"We need to talk Commander." Kaidan's voice became apparent.

"I thought no one was allowed to enter while the commanding officer was attending communication matters." Shepard said in a smart tone.

"It sounded like you had things pretty much wrapped up in here. But on to a more serious note Commander."

"What is it Alenko?"

"What exactly happen when I left you in that building?" Kaidan's voice drifted to concern.

"It was nothing, just found GhostShadow and rescued him." Shepard's tone was laced with hesitancy. Kaidan stepped closer to better understand her emotion.

"You know your lying right? It's painfully obvious, look, Just tell me what really happened. It can't be possible for you to take five hours to rescue the sniper team, and from what I know sniper teams of that era usually work in twos... Where did the other guy go?" More concern rang in his voice. Shepard stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say after she had just lied to and was caught red handed by the one she loved, the only one she has to love. Kaidan's eyes slowly moved from her's, aimlessly wandering down her face then on her neck.

"Shepard! What's that?" Kaidan question frightfully.

"What's what?" She replied without really noticing his surprised state.

"On your neck, it looks like a bruise." Kaidan stepped even closer to Shepard. On a closer inspection Kaidan noticed several minor cuts and scuff marks on the Commander's face.

"What happened to you...?" He whispered holding her face with his hands. The two stood there staring into each other's eyes, Shepard tried desperately to avoid his brown orbs, trying not to give in to his demeanor. Suddenly Shepard's right eye blanked out in vision, she was shocked by the sudden jolt in her sight, then her iris sparked a quick light blue almost teal color then back to the normal green. She pushed Kaidan's arms away and turned her head to the right attempting to prevent Kaidan from noticing. She held that stance for about a second then grabbed her eye in intense pain. Without words Kaidan jumped at Shepard and began to hold her neck in a strange way, then with his other arm he held her head. The two quickly stumbled to the floor in a rather strange position. The door to the comm room opened and Wrex walked through.

"Shepard, I was wondering-" Wrex stopped mid sentence and cocked his eye at the sight of the event. No sooner did he come in than he whipped around and left, not saying a word.

A minute later Kaidan let go of Shepard. The two sat on the floor next to each other. Shepard sat with one of her knees up, she leaned her head on her knee and let out a long sigh.

"You need to come clean Commander. Tell me what's going on." Kaidan said in a light but serious tone. Shepard contemplated on telling Kaidan the whole story, what was causing her the extreme agony. Maybe he didn't notice, maybe he didn't see the one thing that made her feel less than she was, the one thing she could have prevented but was too powerless, too weak to stop. Maybe he didn't notice.

"Alright, I will. I was captured shortly after you left. GhostShadow was in the building we searched but when I found them I collapsed about the same way I just did now. The enemy captured me and took me to their camp, there they tried to get me to talk."

"Damn it, I shouldn't have left your side..." Kaidan said putting his forehead in his palms.

"You were following orders Alenko, no one knew they would be held in there."

"That excuse doesn't work. We have more technology than they ever did at that time, something should have buzzed."

"I've been through worse Kaidan. I bleed so others won't have to, even you." Shepard replied once again showing her iron resolve that kept her alive for so long and her willingness to sacrifice. A silence came over Kaidan, those powerful words resonated deep within his soul.

"So what was that move you pulled on me?" Shepard asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry about that Commander. It's a pressure point, I use it to help relieve my headaches, except, a little less awkward."

"you'll have to teach me how to do it sometime." She smiled. Then the Commander's heart started to race after those words, she expected the inevitable, the one question she hoped no one would ever ask.

" So, what's causing you to have such bad headaches? Are you keeping something from me? Your not another L2 are you?" Kaidan questioned repeatedly. There was the dreaded question, although phrased differently, nevertheless it was the same question that demanded the same answer. Wanting to know what is wrong with others is commonly conceived as kind or caring. For Shepard this 'common courtesy' has been turned into a hellish ordeal. Her heart jumped into her throat, having to lie once more or to tell of her failure, her shame, both are unacceptable.

"No, I'm not- It's just- Nothing... nothings wrong, just a few random headaches."

"There's something wrong with you and I'm going to find out! You shouldn't be feeling like this." Kaidan roared, sick of having information withheld from him.

"Maybe there's something wrong with you-I'm fine! I don't need you to waste your time to find what's wrong with me!" Shepard retaliated.

"Commander?!"

Shepard stood up and stomped out the door. Kaidan froze, stricken with guilt having raised his voice at Shepard but questioning what she meant.

Shepard walked down the ramp from the command deck to the quarters of the ship at a fast pace. Through the quarters she slowed down next to the mess hall, thinking about what she had said. Two crew members passed by her, unaware of the scene that took place moments before. As Shepard walked into her room Walker and Garrus stepped out of the elevator, having a meaningful conversation about the advancements in technology and the Normandy. The automatic door shut behind the Commander sealing off the feeling she had to get somewhere private. She took a few steps into the room before a crunch sounded under her boot. It was a capsule from the medicine bottle she threw earlier, many of the blue pills laid about the floor. Shepard knelt down and picked up the two halves, she then examined it. The blue liquid that was inside the capsule contained tiny particles that shined in the light. She then stood up and walked over to her desk throwing away the broken pill in the waste bin beside it. Commander Shepard took her uniform from the bed and laid them down next to her. She stood there for a moment thinking about what came over her in the comm room, trying to get everything together. Shepard shook her head then started to unfasten her armor vigorously. The various accessories, ammo pouches, upgrade holders, weapons all hit the floor. Then she started to loosen her elbow pads, leg plates and body plate, to allow the air seal to expand. The blue camo suited Shepard, in some cases it became a trademark of the Normandy's ground crew, as everyone that left the ship wore the same color. The air seal hissed as it was released but the armor maintained it's shape. The air seal locks in atmospheric conditions vital to the life of the wearer, but must be released prior to removal. She powered down the rest of the armor and began to strip off the suit.

"As you can see Walker, a lot has change since your time." Garrus said motioning around the mess hall.

"I'm pretty impressed, and to think that I believed nothing was going to change." Walker exchanged.

"Thanks to the discovery of prothean technology under the surface of mars, humanity has evolved. It came to be known, as you humans call it 'mass effect'."

"When did we come across the first non-human species?"

"Well... it wasn't a friendly one. After the Rachni Wars no one was supposed to activate any mass relays in fear of giving the Rachni the advantage of traveling through them."

"Figures, humanity's first contact with another life form is hostile."

"We, the Turians, found a human fleet attempting to activate a mass relay. We took it as hostility for breaking the law and attacked, this was known as the 'First Contact War' on Earth."

"Another year, another war." Walker sighed.

"So it would seem. Anyway enjoy the new surroundings Walker, I have to get back to my duties."

"Carry on." Walker said in an automatic response.

Garrus took off to the elevator leaving Walker in the middle of the mess hall. He looked around the room trying to spot similarities in the ship. Of course the table was the most prominent followed by the chairs. He moved toward the table and touched the surface. With quiet content of it just being a normal table with no lasers or advanced shielding he smiled, some things are just too simple to let go. Walker then pulled a chair from under the table, quickly he leaned to the right to see if anything happened, but nothing did. For piece of mind Walker slid the chair back under the table then out again. Finally on further judgement he determined that this chair, was in fact, a normal chair. Walker looked around the room for any witnesses to his foolish actions but none were found. With a slow and steady decent he sat himself in the chair, bracing his hands on the arm rests, just incase. Slowly the feeling of uncertainty quickly turned to relaxation, and for once this week he didn't have to worry about flying bullets, grenades, IED's, or the odd alien that wants to engage in hand to hand combat. The door to The captain's quarters opened with a loud swooshing sound. Walker jumped in the air from his seat, which is humanly impossible but he managed to pulled it off.

"You doing alright lieutenant?" Shepard said confused of what she just saw.

"That door just scared the hell out of me." He said in a shaken tone.

Commander Shepard turned her body around to look at the door, she looked at it for a moment and shruged, then walked over to the table and sat directly in front of Walker.

"Are you usually that tense?"

"Not that tense but tense enough. The army's all ways give us marines a hard time about overreacting about every weapon shot or loud noise."

"Keeps you alive doesn't it." Shepard retorted.

"You bet. Besides war has changed, there are no front lines anymore. Bad guys could pop up anywhere."

"I have some good news for you, the front lines are back, it just depends on what planet."

"That's good, but the planet thing sort of scares me."

"You've been on one planet you've been on them all, nothing really changes." The Commander remarked.

"Yeah... except for the gravity and atmosphere, and terrain." Walker contradicted.

"Pretty sharp for a guy from the past."

"It's not like we're cavemen in the twenty-first century, we don't have clubs." The lieutenant joked. Shepard chuckled then got up from her seat.

"You want some coffee?" Shepard questioned.

"Sure, I'll take some thank you."

Shepard walked into the medical room then into the back room. Walker sighed a sigh of relief that Shepard had no ill will toward him after they fought in the garage. But for some strange reason he felt attracted to her, almost as if he knew her forever. After a few minutes Shepard came back with two cups of coffee and sat back down at the table.

"I didn't know what coffee you like, so I got you plain black."

"Don't worry about what I like, after a few weeks of MRE's you tend to not be as picky as you once were."

"How was it?" Shepard asked.

"They were horrible! Don't get me started on the chilli-mac."

"No, how was your service time."

"Oh, well I saw a lot of action on this tour."

"You had more than one tour?" Shepard questioned

"Yeah, I'm on my second tour of duty, some of my men are on their third. My first was about three years and my current is going on one and a half."

"I bet it gets rough staying in the desert for that long."

"Yes it does, you got sand storms every now and then, it's hot as hell, sand all over, camel spiders. It's tough, but we get through it. Regardless of all that we are serving our country, everyone of us, we aren't getting paid to sit in our comfortable house and watch football."

"Run n' gun attitude?"

"Ha! Used to be. I have a wife that I love and a child that I care about this go around. Now I realize that everyone is going home to someone, and I want to make sure they make it back to that someone."

"You're a good leader Lieutenant. I'll put it upon myself to get you back to your time, and your family." Shepard announced with determination.

"Thank you ma'am."

The two drank some of their coffee.

"What about you Commander Shepard? What about your family?"

Shepard nearly choked on some of her coffee while she sipped it.

"You alright Commander?" Walker asked in confusion.

"Yes, I'm fine." Shepard said quickly. "I don't have a family, they were killed by slavers."

"Wha- Comm- I'm sorry... I didn't- I shouldn't have asked-... I'm so sorry for your loss..." Walker scrambled for words.

"It's alright, I get that question a lot. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Walker didn't know what else to say. In an attempt to sunder the silence Shepard decided to change the subject.

"What else happened during your time in Iraq?"

"A few things happened. After the nuke went off Al queda took back most of Iraq. We all fought to get together for days. Army, Marines, Air Force, everybody."

"I remember studying that in school."

"A lot of good men and women died that day... My last couple weeks there, I'll never forget."

"Where were you during the explosion?"

"I was patrolling the outer fringes of the city, to far to get hurt but near enough to see." Walker looked down to the surface of the table. "After that I was enraged, enraged that a terrorist group could pull off something that big. It was a small scale nuclear warhead but its damage was catastrophic, the sheer amount of American forces and Iraqi civilians in the area made it so. "

"A lot of things could happen if enough people gather for the wrong cause." Shepard replied. Walker nodded then drank some more if his coffee.

"Orders commander?" Joker questioned over the loudspeaker

"Take us back to the Citadel"

"Aye aye Commander."

Shepard stood up from the table and picked up her cup. She then looked at Walker and his uniform.

" Are you going to go into the Citadel looking like that?' She questioned.

"What's the Citadel?"

"It's a giant... 'space station' you might say, almost like earth, well the gravity part."

"Interesting." Walker glanced to the side then brought his hazel eyes slowly back in thought. "What do you mean by 'looking like that'?"

"Eh... kinda hard to explain but we don't normally have people wandering around wearing clothes nearly 200 years out of date." Shepard said with a hint of sarcasm.

"So now the military is concerned about fashion now?" Jason sparked.

"I'm just saying it would probably be in your best interest to wear some of the current armor available."

"You wont catch me wearing that skin tight shit everyone's got on. You might be able to look good in it but I cant"

"Thanks, I suppose. Well anyway we could get you some civilian clothes or maybe a spare uniform from one of the guys around here."

"I'll go with the uniform, not ready to put on normal clothes just yet."

"Okay, I can understand that. Go ask Joker for his spare, I'm sure he has one. You can find him up on the command deck, he flies this bird so he wont be too hard to find. As for me I have to go do a few things before we go ashore."

"Understood."

The two moved away from the table going in opposite directions. Walker stopped between the stairs and the elevator plainly confused. He looked both ways then pointed at the elevator then once more looked at the stairs. Finally he chose the stairs and started his ascent. At the top Walker confronted the menacing automatic door.

"Okay, just like the grocery store." Walker whispered to himself.

He stepped one step closer to the door and it opened. He waited for a moment to look through the door. Walker was about to step past the door when it shut right in his face.

"Damn it..." again Walker whispered.

Lieutenant Walker stepped back a couple of feet then the door opened again. Once more he attempted to pass the seemingly insurmountable obstacle but this time he jumped through the door. After staggering a few steps from the jump he recovered his balance and grabbed his uniform jacket at the bottom and jerked it downwards to reposition any out of wack cloth parts or wrinkles. Walker then traveled around the command deck looking at all the technology. A few moments later he stood behind Joker at the helm of the ship.

"Joker?" Walker questioned.

"Yeah what is it-? Who are you?!" Joker said surprisingly as he whipped around to see who it is.

"Lieutenant Jason Walker, First Lieutenant if you want to get technical."

"No, I don't. You must be the new guy we picked up."

"Old guy in this circumstance."

"What did I say about getting technical?"

"You got a mouth on you don't you kid." Walker said irritated by Jokers remarks.

"First off I am not a kid 'old man', secondly you need to lighten up I'm only messing with you." "Messing with me huh?"

"Yeah, it's been a long shift if you know what I mean, just trying to pass the time. So wach'ya need?"

"Commander Shepard told me you might have a spare uniform for me to use."

"Yes in fact I do, it's in my locker in the medical bay. I'd go with you but as you can see im the only one fully qualified to fly this ship." Joker gloated.

"Well im honored by your statement." Walker remarked.

"Sure..."

Walker started back down to the medical bay.

"Hope it fits!" Joker yelled at him

Walker turned about half way pointing his finger in the air as if he was about to say something but then paused for a moment then blew off what Joker said and resumed to walk away.


	8. The monster

Snow ripped through the air parallel to the ground. The surrounding horizon could not be impregnated by sight, not even in the best of days. The sky was not to be found nor any sign of life. The only things that were prevalent were the never ceasing wind and snow that could rip through anything if it were made of anything less than rock or metal. The extreme cold that plagued this world froze deep into the core of any foolish enough to tread on these grounds, not even hypothermia would call this it's home. Even the ground deep under the snow was menacing, its blue color harbored a foul sense that not even the best of sentient beings could bring to bear. The harsh topography seemed to be competing with the weather, the jagged crevasses and arid flat lands had their claim. Deep in the maelstrom of chastising snow and squalling wind a black figure appeared in the distance. It was a figure of a man half bent down in the snow trying to best the torrent. He appeared to be moving easterly in as much of a hurry as he could. He was wearing heavily graded armor and an air sealed helm, both of which were black in color. His arms were folded over his chest as if he were carrying something of importance. Further he trudged through the thick snow keeping his pace. The howl of wind and sound of snow clashing into the armor was the only companion the man had in his journey. In the distance a dark object formed, looking almost like the beginning of a ridge. When the man got closer to the object it stood out as a structure of sorts. Closer and closer he came till it was clear that the structure was a base. The building was shielded by a mountain from the wind, the silver metal it was made of almost completely concealed itself in the blizzard. The man waded through the snow till he reached a door. The man then pressed a button next to the door.

"Access code." Another man's voice came from the speaker.

"-_sigh_- It's me..."

"Ah yes, step inside."

The door slid open and the man stepped in. Inside the base the climate was a lot more forgiving than outside. The man took off his helmet then shook his head to reposition his hair. He appeared to be in his early twenties, no older than twenty five, he had light brown hair, his hair seemed to be worn medium in length, and he had brown eyes. He placed the helmet on a shelf and jogged to the door leading into the main room of the base. As the door opened he had a concerned look on his face. In the room stood two guards by the left wall with a female human sitting on her knees and her hands behind her back.

"I got the information, where is your leader?" The man said approaching one of the guards.

"The kids back."

To the left of the guard a doorway to the stairs was lit up by a red light. Within that door footsteps emanated, someone was coming down the steps, perhaps with a heavy step in one foot. Out of the door the leader came through. The boss looked about in his mid to late forties, black hair, perhaps a densely plated or prosthetic right lower leg, and dark brown to black eyes, everything about this man seemed evil.

"I see you have the data pad I requested..." The boss said in an eerie tone.

"Yes, now can I take my fiancé and leave?!" The man asserted.

He handed the pad to the leader. The boss turned around and searched through the data. The man's fiancé looked up at the two to see what was going on. Everything stood still, not even a noise sounded for the next few moments. Then the slavers leader turned around within one second and shot the man straight in the forehead. Blood rained to the ground as the body fell backward. The young man's body lie there on the floor, his right leg twitching due to nerve pulses. Blood covered the floor moving through the deeper parts of the ground as some sort of design or game, neither of which fitted the gruesome sight. Putting his gun back into the holster the leader knelt down and put one finger into the mans skull. After the slaver stopped probing in the skull of the body he extracted his finger from the hole and examined the various fluids and colors of blood before he finally inserting his finger into his mouth and sucking the gore in a hideous fashion.

"Ryan!" The man's fiancé screamed with unbelievable anguish before she began bawling.

"We have no more use for your 'Ryan'" The boss said without a hint of mercy.

"As for you..." he stepped closer to the woman then grabbed her by her chin and forced her to look at him "I have use for you..." he muttered in a most sinister and menacing tone. Before the woman could react another slaver wrapped cloth around her mouth and head to gag her. Then they hauled her away as she continued to weep over the lose of her lover. Walking ever so gently the head slaver moved back to the stairs reading the data pad, picking through it to find whatever he needed. Continuing up the stairs he moved into a room that was illuminated by red lights and dozens of computer terminals. Every station had a person manning it doing some sort of work, this was no average slave station. A man moved from his terminal next to the lead slaver.

"Scan through this I need that ships encryption data."

"Yes Lord Venterius"

"Oh, and clean up the cargo bay."

"Of course, my Lord."

Venterius handed the data pad to his servant then slipped quietly into his quarters. Inside the room was dark, only the light from a massive computer screen shined in this bleak place. He sat down in a chair in front of the screen and began to type on a keyboard on the armrest of the chair. The screen activated and a logo with words appeared in the center of the screen, it read 'binary Helix'. An interface menu displayed with various options, the bottom left option was highlighted and activated.

"Please wait, the connection you have requested is currently being established." A female voice emanated from the computer. Venterius put his elbow on the armrest and held his chin in his hand while putting his leg up on the other and grinned as if expecting something pleasurable. "Connection established" The computer announced again. The screen flashed then turned dark before showing an image. The image was clear then blurred by fast movement before finally going black due to some sort of obscurity. A few seconds passed then the screen again lit up to show a silvery metal of sorts, as the image shook around the likely hood of the camera being in a fixed position faded. Out of the top of the screen a person's boot became apparent, the screen looked up to show a man in a camouflaged uniform holding his hand out. Another hand, this time from the bottom left, grasped the man's hand. The image lifted up to the other humans height.

"Who do we have here?" Venterius questioned to himself. He typed a command into the keyboard to take a picture of the person on the screen. The front console under the monitor lit up and a data pad dispensed out of a slot. Venterius got out of his seat and grabbed the data.

"I look forward to our next session... my lovely little puppet..." Venterius said in a malicious tone. The screen turned off and he quickly walked out the room.

"Servant!" Venterius yelled.

"Yes, mighty lord." A man scurried to the side of his master and knelt down.

"Take this data, it has coordinates of a certain target within the Citadel. Get two of our top bounty hunters to go there. I want the female human alive! Kill the man in the picture."

"And what if there are more my lord?"

"Kill them..."


	9. Eyes of mistake

"Where exactly are we going again Commander?" Walker questioned.

"Going to see Councilman Anderson, he's been looking forward to seeing you."

"How does he know me?"

"He was informed of you in the debriefing."

"Bet that was a hard point to get across."

"You'd be surprised." Shepard remarked.

Shepard and Walker continued up the stairs through the C-Sec Academy, then they boarded the elevator up to the Presidium. The elevator started to make its way upward. The sudden jolt took Walker by surprise and threw him of balance, because the Lieutenant struggled to keep upright Shepard smiled at his troubles.

"In local news the Citadel community continues to hastily work on cleaning up and repairing the damage that was caused by the debris of the various ships that were destroyed in the battle that occurred earlier this month." The broadcast announced through the speakers.

"There was a battle here?!" Walker questioned in little more than disbelief.

"Yes, it was between us and Saren's army of geth. A lot of destruction, mayhem and casualties, just like back home huh LT?" Shepard said in sarcasm.

"Not funny."

The elevator slowed down and came to a halt then the doors opened up to the Presidium. Walker had to blink a few times to believe what he was actually seeing. The beautiful clear water gently rippled with tiny waves as the current under neath move about, the fountains accented the water as the soothing noise pulsed around the marvelous atrium of the Presidium. The trees stood erect across the park dotted here and there, so green and healthy not even the natural environment they grew in could conceive. The silver metallic floors and buildings shined with cleansing light, no hint of dirt or grime lay on them, an exact polar opposite to the industrial counterparts that the twenty-first century possessed.

"Oh my god. . . ." Walker whispered to himself as he moved toward the edge of the water. He put his hands on the railing to keep his footing as he looked around in dumbstruck astonishment.

"This is magnificent. . . . I've never seen anything close to this. . . ." Walker whispered.

"Wonderful place, isn't it?" Shepard related.

"How was this built?"

"We don't know. It was left here by Prothians along time ago."

Shepard tried not to go into too much detail, she didn't want to overwhelm the Lieutenant. The commander tugged on Walker's shoulder to get him from standing there wasting anymore time. Jason finally snapped to and followed Shepard as they continued right to the Citadel Tower. Looking around, Walker spotted different things some of which he's seen before and others that were completely new, like a kid in a toy store he eyed everything in amazement. People on scaffolding welded the walls and others welded the floor repairing certain damages while survey workers assessed the extent of the progress. All around it was a fairly busy place, reconstruction, civilians traveling their daily commute, and flying vehicles zoomed overhead across the artificial sky. Shepard began to pick up the pace toward their destination while Walker tried to keep up. Suddenly a group of people crossed Walker's path, cutting him off from Shepard. Jason tried to look above the crowed but he couldn't look over the taller species, then he attempted to move through the crowd but two turians passed carrying a metal beam. He staggered backwards to avoid the object. More and more Walker lost his heading before he finally decided to push through the crowd. Slipping in between two humans and then a pair of asari, he wove left and right making his way to the end of the traffic. With one last effort he pushed through to the clearing and fell to his knees, a woman behind him let out a quick yelp as she and her data pad fell to the floor.

"You don't work to well in a crowd." Shepard said amused by what she just saw.

Lieutenant Walker lifted his head up to see Shepard standing in front of him, hand cast out to help him up.

"No, no I don't. Never been in a big city, let alone a giant space station." Walker replied while getting up.

"Don't worry, by the time you get off this place you'll be able to navigate through a Thresher's tunnel system."

Walker dusted off his knees and began to follow the Commander. They came up next to the Wards access, Walker looked at the benches and then remembered something.

"Shepard, when we first got off the ship what happened to you-" Suddenly an explosion blew Walker on his back. Walker shook his head, trying to rattle the ringing out of his ears. A second later he crawled behind a wall in the middle of the floor. He looked around for the cause of the explosion, three beings, one human and two batarians began to charge his way.

"Great . . . batarians. . . ." Shepard yelled from behind the wall.

"What?! You know these guys!" Walker yelled back in confusion.

"I knew a few. They're all in the ground now."

Walker looked above his cover and saw Shepard with her body pressed against the wall parallel to him. Bullets zoomed by his head right before he crouched back behind cover.

"I'm not much use without a gun Commander!" Walker yelled over the gun fire. An assault rifle flew up over the wall and Walker caught it.

"Keep on your guard Walker! These are bounty hunters!" Shepard informed the Lieutenant. Walker's face turned to confusion as he heard Shepard.

"What do bounty hunters' want with us!?"

"I don't know, just start firing!"

Shepard popped up out of cover and shot her pistol at the assailants. Jason then did the same shooting at the three. The bounty hunters dispersed and took cover behind construction equipment, then continued to lay down fire. Once one side stopped the other started firing, back and forth. The batarian on the left side lost his shields and stayed undercover.

"Hostile on the far left has lost shields! Take him out!" Shepard ordered Walker. They both started to fire on him but the other two bounty hunters gave the batarian covering fire. Shepard reached to the back of her belt and pulled out a grenade. The Commander jumped to the left out of cover and threw the grenade at the hunter on the left. She ran to cover behind a stack of metal panels and detonated the grenade. The explosion rang out as the pile of rods and other metal pieces blew in the air, the bounty hunter flew backwards and into the water. The remaining two dashed forward gaining ground. The human ran to the wall in front of Walker. She then stood over her cover to try and shoot the lieutenant. Walker lifted his gun, resting it on the wall, and held down the trigger. Bullets poured into the bounty hunter's shield, she quickly reentered cover to stay out of the onslaught of munition. To the left Shepard kept the other batarian locked in combat trying to keep the two hunters from teaming up on Jason. The sound of the fight echoed down the Presidium, denizens of the Citadel ran for any safety they could find. The female hunter threw down her assault rifle and reached for her pistol. She jumped over the first wall and then over the second tackling Walker. The rifle slid across the floor while Walker braced his fall with his hand behind him. Jason then kicked the bounty hunter to the floor with the bottom of his foot. Scrambling to their feet both met face to face as they stood up. The woman rose up her pistol aiming at lieutenant Walker's chest. Her head tilted to her left, eyeing Walker, emotions obstructed by her helmet. In a split second Jason grabbed her hand, twisted it causing her to drop the gun and then threw her over his shoulder to the ground. The bounty hunter sat up for a brief moment to get up but Walker came from behind and got her in a neck hold and lifted her up on her feet, attempting to choke her. She pressed a button under her neck and the helmet released, then she slid out of it leaving Walker holding a helmet. Jason looked at the helm then looked up at his foe. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, a woman, he knew it was a female but he thought she was an alien but not a human! A rather attractive human. Light blonde almost white hair with strange violet eyes and red lips, a slight pale complection pronounced these features. Walker stood there motionless, transfixed on this one person. The hunter charged at him then unleashed a strong punch. The Lieutenant snapped out of his state just in time to lift up the helmet and block the strike. As the woman recovered from the parry Walker swung the helmet from left to right striking his attacker across the face. She gasped as she flew back before falling to the floor with an impacting thud. Jason stood above the bounty hunter, helmet still in hand, below him she reeled in pain her body raising up and down while she breathed. With a sweeping kick she brought Walker to the ground then pounced on top of him. They rolled around the floor exchanging hits. On the other side of them Shepard continued to battle with the batarian, firing every so often to keep him focused on her. Jason was underneath the hunter but had her by the throat while she did the same to him. Both fought for survival. One must die for the other to live. Suddenly the hunter reached down to her waist, with the other hand on Walker's throat, she pulled out a knife. She plunged her hand down to Walker's chest but he caught it with his left hand. They struggled for the object, Jason removed his right hand from the woman's neck and grabbed her wrist to push the knife away. The bounty hunter began to breathe heavily, wincing as she put every ounce of strength into her hands. Walker too gasped for air and groaned as he kept the knife at bay. Sweat dripped down off the hunter's face. More and more the strain pumped into their bodies, adrenalin roared in their veins. Walker bared his teeth trying to keep steady, With a roar Jason pushed the knife higher into the air but the women brought it back down and closer to his chest. Their hearts throbbed, ready to burst, every molecule in their bodies screamed and every muscle, ligament, tendon, every sinew ached. Walker grabbed a hold of the blade and began to bend it out of the hunter's hand. His hands trembled as he continued to push, blood ran down his hand and forearm underneath the sleeves of his BDU, the camo began to turn red. Finally he took the knife from the bounty hunter's hand and threw it as far as he could. The woman collapsed on top of Walker, he dropped his head on the floor . . . exhausted. They rested there for a while, both breathing extremely heavily, making strange whimpering sounds every time they exhaled. After awhile, the woman got on her hands and knees above Walker. The two looked eye to eye for a moment, as if the fight had stopped and they weren't trying to kill one another. The awkward moment came as a surprise to the Lieutenant, he never really fought anyone that wasn't hellbent on killing him . . . let alone a woman. The violet-eyed assassin then staggered to her feet and walked over to her helmet. Jason sat up watching his "attacker" pick up her equipment. As she got to her pistol Walker braced himself for another fight, but instead she just picked her gun up and holstered it. She kicked the assault rifle over to Jason, perhaps if he wanted to kill her he would just have to shoot. With everything but her knife she began to walk away. But before she went too far she turned off her shielding, perhaps to see what kind of man Walker truly was. Nevertheless he didn't fire, believing that she wouldn't kill him for a reason and neither should he. Shepard on the other hand managed to down the batarian and she beckoned Walker to her.

"What happened between you two!?" Shepard questioned in dismay.

"I don't know . . ." Walker said blankly.

"Ugh . . . I don't get it. She could have killed you! You could have killed her!" Shepard laid down the basics. She tried to sort out the facts but nothing came to mind. Walker stared into the distance, searching his soul. Laughing came from the batarian Shepard shot. She and Walker went to investigate.

"Ha . . . hahaaaaaa . . . " The batarian wheezed. "You are doomed, once Lord Venterius finds you he never stops hunting you . . . -_coughing-_"

"Lord Venterius?" Shepard yelled in question. She raised her pistol at the injured bounty hunter. "Tell me who he is before I feed your brains to the fish"

"Ha ha ha haaaaaaaa . . . I am already dead . . . We all are already dead . . . " He said in a crackling voice. "Some just don't know it yet . . . " The batarian cackled madly then pulled out a pistol and shot. Shepard shot the aliens hand then shot him in the chest three times before finally stepping on his torso and shooting his head six times. Brain matter oozed to the floor, the batarian's head fell into pieces.

"batarians . . . Don't deserve to live . . . " Shepard said in a cruel tone.

Shepard heard a strange sound come from behind her. She turned to see Walker collapse to his knees holding his chest.

"Oh my god, Walker!" She said as she grabbed him and laid him on the floor, head propped up on her knee. The gun shot wound was freezing cold to the touch.

"Wha . . . what's! What's...happening to me!? " Walker muttered, his voice trembling from the icy cold vice grip that raked his chest. He gasped for air constantly but he kept wheezing and coughing, he had been shot in the right lung.

"You've been shot by a cryo round. Your chest cavity is being frozen." Shepard informed Jason. She administered medigel to the wound. Two C-sec officers ran to their aid. Walker's vision started blurring and swaying back and forth soon tunnel vision set in.

"We've got to g- infirmary"

"Don't wor- Walker– . . .ok"

"W-e . . . hurry!-... losing him!"

"H- in- . . . -..er"

"...-...-..."

"Get down! Enemy mortar!" A Marine yelled to his squad.

The sky spoke as the zipping mortar shells cascading to the ground. Explosions rocked the earth around the troops. Pieces of building flung into the air as the shells hit the roofs of the small buildings. Marines took cover under awnings and inside a breeze way to the left of their position.

"Where's it coming from!?" Another solider yelled.

"The sky! What does it look like!?" Someone replied with a New York accent.

"Dammit! I know that much Calioni!"

"Then why'd you ask?"

The two continued to bicker at each other. Soon more Marines ran into view from the right.

"Hold your fire!" The leader of the incoming squad yelled.

"Come on in Lieutenant, we were just getting acquainted with a couple mortar rounds." Calioni yelled sarcastically over the explosions.

The Lieutenant looked into the air holding his helmet "I've noticed."

"Where they coming from LT, we can't stay here from much longer before these bastard's zero in on our position."

"Coming from the northwest, Corporal. They have a pretty dug in position there, surveillance shows four mortar emplacements and light armor, type sixty-nines."

"Well what are we going to do about the armor sir?" Calioni questioned.

" Sergeant Kelly here has that covered. Once we get in range we need to find an open space with the armor in the line of sight, clear it, then the Javelin can work its magic." Walker answered.

"Sounds good."

The squads formed up and moved out, jogging carefully while keeping an eye out for enemy contacts. They moved through the streets, on the right side hugging the buildings. The day was cooler than most. It was fall, at least in the states. The same sun that crippled the allied progress shined a little dimmer. The sand had calmed down, not kicking up in the breeze no longer hell for anything that retained moister. The squad continued through the street north. They came to a crossing in the road, where they could go west. Walker motion the group that they were turning left. Walker led his men across the street, he then put his back against the wall of a building. He followed the wall to the left sliding his back to the edge of the wall. He crouched to the ground, back on the wall with his knees out in front of him and his M4 in his lap. Slowly he peered out of cover to check for hostiles. Down the western street he spotted a lot of cement road blocks near him then farther down about fifty yards what looked to be a makeshift checkpoint. Four tangos stood around the waist high wall, two in front and two behind. Jason turned to his squad, using hand gestures he explained the four enemies. As he was doing so a man walked right next to him. Walker turned his head to see the man's legs then looked up to see his face. The man suddenly turned to the squad with his eyes open wide. Within that moment shots fired into the man's torso. The terrorist dropped his AK-47 as he fell to the ground. Walker watched him fall then turned to see Calioni with his M16 raised, and the other Marines with their faces frozen in disbelief. The two stared into each other's eyes, then Walker looked back at the dead body. Shouts came from the barricade behind the wall and bullets began to hit the ground next to Jason.

"All right! The element of surprise has been lost! I need Alpha two across this road! Jacobs, take point!" Walker ordered.

Alpha two formed behind Jason, ready to run across.

"Alpha one! Suppressive fire!" Walker shouted turning out of cover.

Jason began firing at the position and the enemies took cover. Jacobs and three others started running. Kelly and Stones followed behind the Lieutenant, shooting at the tangos. Walker slid next to a concrete barrier, the rest of Alpha 1 took cover next to him. Alpha two made it to the other side, Jacobs crouched behind another barrier and Calioni followed, the other two Marines took the wall of the parallel building. One of the terrorists in front of the blockade was shot several times and slid down the front of the wall. The other tangos took cover behind the barricade and continued to fire back at the Marines. Each side took turns firing. One tango moved to the far left of the wall and got behind a light poll.

"RPG! Get down!" Kelly yelled.

The RPG fired toward Alpha Squad. It sailed through the air then began spiraling before it lifted up above the Marines and blew up impacting the building behind them. Jacobs focused his fire at the open terrorist. The tango attempted to run back to cover but was shot in the shoulder and head. The other enemy units threw two grenades toward Alpha 2.

"Grenade! Take cover!" Walker shouted to his men.

The explosives detonated three yards away from them. The last two Al-Qaeda operatives fled the battle.

"Their going to give away our position to the mortars! Get em'!" Calioni exclaimed chasing after them.

"Calioni! Stop! Hold your position Corporal!" Walker ordered.

Lieutenant Walker took off after Calioni. The Corporal had a good sixteen yards on Jason. Faster and faster Corporal Calioni ran but his squadron leader gained on him.

"Get back here now!" Walker again ordered to no avail.

The two darted into an alley, when Walker went in there where two paths that snaked around a neighborhood. Jason took the left one not knowing where Calioni went to. One of the tangos that had ran appeared in front of the Lieutenant. Jason stopped in his tracks, they raised their weapons at the same time. Walker pulled the trigger but his Carbine was out of ammo. The terrorist spoke in arabic then laughed. Jason stared his foe in the eyes, thinking what was going to happen. The trigger clicked, the terrorist's gun had jammed. Both raised their heads from their iron-sights. Both had a shocked look. Time stood still in that alley. Suddenly the AK-47 hurled at Walker, he turned and blocked but it hit him in the side and shoulder. Jason looked at the terrorist intimidating him then to off his Kevlar helmet and threw it at the foes face. He blocked but the helm hit him in the side of the head and neck. Walker pulled out his sidearm and fired, the bullet struck the enemy in the heart. He fell over backwards, blood quickly pooled around him. Grabbing his M4 from his side Walker reloaded it and continued down the path. He ran down the alley then out into a small road. There he saw Calioni standing to his left. He ran to him and slid next to his squad mate. In front of them was a child, he was holding an assault rifle. They stared at each other. The child was no older than twelve or thirteen. The kid raised his gun, read to do what he had been instructed to do. Walker too lifted his gun at the boy. A billion morals rushed in and out of Walker's mind, if he were to pull that trigger everything he stood and fought for would be forsaken. Jason's eye's widened, if anyone were to look into them they could see his very soul. He crouched there like a boulder, steadfast on protecting his solider. The wind came to a dead still. The heart's of the beings in the road could be heard throbbing. Walker drifted out of reality, his breath quivered, muscles locked, hearing deafened and sight blurred. On the verge of blacking out the Lieutenant's mind snapped back to reality. One shot pierced the silence, then another. The child gripped his chest then fell over on his side, blood poured from his wounds out onto the ground. Walker let out a deep breath, not of relief, but of horror. Corporal Calioni's pupils dilated shocked at what he had just witnessed. Walker pulled the strap of his Carbine over his head and threw his gun to the dirt, he then sprinted over to the boy he had just shot. Rolling him over Walker assessed the wounds then took some gauze out of his pouch. He pressed it firmly over the holes trying to stop the bleeding. The child gasped in shock, blood gushed from his injuries. Tears ran down the boy's face, in pain and for the inevitable. Walker panicked trying to keep the bleeding stabilized. He exhaled sharply letting out cries. Finally the boy's breathing stopped, his tears ceased to flow. Jason lifted his hands from the blood soaked cloth. He looked at the palms of his hands, bloody and trembling. Calioni still stood in front of the event, he dropped his M16 and fell to his knees. The two Marines looked at each other in disbelief. Walker then looked back down at the child he slew, in the boy's clenched hand was a rag. Lieutenant Walker grabbed the fabric and pulled it loose from the body's hand. He then looked down at it for a while contemplating what had happened.

"Walker."

"Walker . . . "

"..alker.."

"...er- . . . "

"..."

"W- . . . "

"Wa– . . . n . . .yo...u . . .ear . . . e"

"Walker . . . "

"Can you hear me . . . ?"


	10. Memories

"Walker . . . "

"Lieutenant!" A woman's voice shouted through a bright light.

"Are you day dreaming again?" The voice rang again.

Jason's vision came into to focus, the sun shined brightly in his eyes. He quickly looked down at the source of the voice. It was Sergeant Gonzalez sitting under a tent top in the shade. Walker smiled at her then glanced back up at the sun with his eyes.

"I heard somewhere that looking into the sun for long periods of time is bad, tends to blind people." Kelly said sarcastically.

Walker grinned "Just getting my afternoon sun." He replied.

Jason stood up from his chair and walked under the tent. He grabbed an ammo clip and began putting bullets in.

"You know we're not going on a mission today, right?" The Sergeant questioned.

"Yeah, I know. Helps to be prepared though. You never kn-"

"Know when the enemy might show up, you say that everyday LT, but nothing shows up. You need to loosen up a little Walker, this isn't World War Two and we aren't fighting Japanese."

Jason sighs "I don't want to see any of my men killed due to lack of preparation . . . I should really stop letting you boss me around, play by the book and crack the whip. Straighten this platoon up." Walker argues with a smile on his face.

"But it's so much fun!" Kelly joked "besides, keeping the collar loose really helps with the morale, makes this whole mess a little more enjoyable."

Two men travel to Walker in full combat uniform. Jason looked up at the men in concern.

"Jacobs, Stones, what's the status?" Walker questions.

"Everything's in check Lieutenant . . . but we have a problem" Stones replies.

"What's the problem private?!"

"Follow me."

The two on patrol hurried back the way they came, followed by Walker and Gonzalez. They passed by a large tent then stopped on the side. Stones stopped dead in his tracks and motioned to Jacobs.

"Right here Lieutenant." Jacobs motioned. He then pointed at a small indentation in the ground. Walker moved closer to see then knelt down to notice dirt flicking from under a lip in the hole. Suddenly a creature crawled over the edge of the hole toward Walker and stopped.

"Holy shit!" Walker leapt backwards into the group of Marines.

"God damn!" Stones yelled as he raised his gun at the spidery creature. Walker fell to the ground pushing Kelly and Jacobs to the side as he crashed to the desert floor on his backside.

"It's a camel spider . . . " Kelly said to the group.

"I don't care what it is! That bitch just crawled up through the ground!" Stones exclaimed as he held his M16 at the bug.

"Okay. I'm just a little bit disturbed by that being so close to our tent." Jacobs concluded.

"I don't want some big ass bug walk'n its way up in my house!" Stones aimed at the spider.

"Save your bullets for the real enemy." Walker ordered pulling Stones' rifle down while he got up from the ground. The camel spider sat there, sizing up the group, then scurried toward them. The four marines all gasped and began running away from the creature.

"It's on the attack! I shoulda' shot it Walker!"

"Keep running!" Jason yelled back. A couple of other marines that were walking to their tent witnessed the group dart across the road screaming, they stood and watched in confusion.

"It wants our flesh!" Jacobs screamed. They finally slowed down and Walker turned around to confront the camel spider. There the invertebrate stood, in the lieutenant's shadow. Everyone looked closer at the strange ten-legged creature.

"Guy's, It just wants to hide in our shadow from the sun." Kelly announced.

"Well if you knew what it wanted then why did you run?" Stones questioned.

"I wasn't expecting it to go shooting out of its hole at thirty miles an hour . . . "

"What's going on over here?" Corporal Calioni question, a bowl of chili-mac in his hand.

"Just an encounter with a camel spider." Walker answered.

"Oh. Ok." Calioni ate another fork full of chili-mac then looked down at the camel spider "Aeh, that's a small one. They get a lot bigger than that."

"Oh gee, thanks." Jacobs thanked sarcastically leaning back looking into the sky. Stones shook his head then walked over to Calioni and slapped the bowl of chili-mac out of his hand.

"Hey! What'd I do?!" He questioned shrugging his shoulders at Stones, fork still in hand.

"All right, that's enough horsing around for one afternoon. Stones, Jacobs, you're free to go. Corporal, you, me, in the tower. Get suited up." Walker ordered.

"Right away sir." Calioni acknowledged.

Walker put a clip into his rifle, striking the bottom with his palm to fasten it in place. Calioni picked up his weapon from the table and threw the strap over his shoulder then holstered a pistol on his leg. The two men looked at each other then picked up their Kevlar helmets. They began to walk at a brisk pace toward the northern perimeter of the base. As they traveled to the tower two MV-22 Osprey flew overhead, kicking up sand from the ground that bellowed toward the pair of Marines. Walker put his helmet on his head and began to fasten it, Calioni did the same shortly after the cloud of sand was created.

"You know. You'd think they'd fly a little higher up as they pass a base . . . " The Corporal groaned.

"Courtesy isn't a requirement, best thing we can do is grin and bare it." Walker replied.

"Seems like we've been doin' a lot of grin'n and bare'n lately."

"Yeah . . . " Walker said under his breath as he jogged to the ladder leading up to the tower. Jason hustled up the side of the watch tower then turned to hold out his hand to help Calioni up the ladder. They sat in two chairs and began to adjust various things in the concrete platform. After a few minutes they started watching the outskirts of the base. Nothing but flat sand on the right and a patch of shrubs and tree's to the left. Everything looked clear, no activity and no tangos. It was beginning to turn to the late afternoon. The sun began its daily descent. The two Marines in the tower sat silent for a moment looking both ways periodically. It was relatively cool outside, for it being a desert. It was early December. Winter was in full swing back in the states. This is a tough time of year for many service men and women, the time when they miss their families the most.

"Hey, Lieutenant. You remember back in November where our translator prepared that big dinner for us?" Calioni questioned.

"Yeah. It was really nice of his family to do that. An Iraqi thanksgiving." Jason replied joyfully, recalling the moment.

"What was that alcoholic beverage we tried?"

Walker laughed "Arak, it was called arak."

"Yeah, that stuff. That was some potent alcohol."

"Lucky he even got it in here. -_laugh_- Everyone thought it was milk!" Walker yelled in amusement.

"I could use some right now. I'm tellin' ya'. Haven't had a decent drink in ages."

Walker nodded and the two began scanning the horizon in silence. A few minutes pass as they continue to keep a look out. The wind began to pick up. Flickering of the tent tops created a soothing sound to occupy the mind. Sand scurried past close to the desert floor, hitting the bottom of the tower. Corporal Calioni looked a bit uneasy in his chair, seemed to have a lot on his mind.

"Hey . . . Walker." Calioni finally spoke.

"Yes, Corporal?" Walker answered in an intrigued voice.

"I. . . I don't think I ever thanked you for saving my life the other week." Calioni swallowed deeply.

Jason clenched his jaw for a moment then sat up in his chair. "Your welcome Calioni . . . You did the same for me at the barricade."

"Yeah . . . but . . . " Calioni exhaled in discomfort "Is that his scarf?" he pointed at the Lieutenant's neck.

Walker pulled it from around his neck and held it in his hand "Yeah . . . yeah it is." He then looked up from the scarf out toward the horizon "I wear it to remind me . . . -_swallow_-. . . to remind me of what I have done."

Calioni put his hand on his cheek and began to rub his face. His eyes welled up "Listen, if there's anything you need- Anything at all- you let me know. . ."

". . . Will do, Corporal. . ."

Several hours later the sun had set and it was time for another lookout team to man the tower. Walker and Calioni made their way back to the armory to take off their gear. The cold winter nights of the Iraqi desert seemed a far cry for the hot and arid days. A few tents had Christmas lights wrapped around the support bars, most of them sent in by relatives and even caring strangers back home. Even at war in a faraway land the holiday spirit still showed. The lights of the mess tent glowed outward into the night, cutting a path through the darkness. Low roars came from inside the tent. It was dinner time. As the two Marines walked in the door they were greeted by a few glances by their brother's in arms, none of whom lifted their eyes from the food in front of them for too long. Walker made his way to the serving line and Calioni followed. Tonight's menu consisted of: chicken, mashed potatoes, and chili. As Walker was spooning some food onto his plate mail call was going on at the back of the tent. Two men stood on a makeshift stage calling out names and handing out mail.

"Aaah, shit. We're out of iced tea . . ." Calioni mumbled to Walker "Who's the guy that gets the shipment from his family?"

"Private Mullen." Walker answered.

"Yeah, him. Tell his family to ship more will ya' . . . Can't handle this food without it."

"Going to have to live without it for this meal Corporal, maybe a shipment came in the mail." Walker told Calioni optimistically.

"Lieutenant Walker! We have two letters for you sir!" The Marine on the stage yelled.

Walker looked up at the stage then set down his food to pick up his mail.

"What, you too good for one letter sir? Someone must really be missing you!" The man joked.

"Uh-huh. At least I'm not the guy wearing a ridiculous Santa hat." Jason retorted.

The crowd of Marines "oowed" trying to coax an argument. Jason walked to the stage and snatched his mail from the Marines hand. As Walker turned, the man took off his Santa hat and pulled it down on the lieutenant's head. The steadily amused crowd laughed at their commanding officer being picked on. Walker looked back at the man and stared at him, after a few seconds he turned away shaking his head. He then went back to pick up his food and was greeted by a laughing New Yorker.

"I like the hat Lieutenant." Calioni joked.

"Then take it" Walker replied taking off the hat and shoving it on the Corporal's chest. Walker made his way to a table and sat down placing his dinner to the left of him as he looked at his letters. The first letter was from his wife, but the second one was from someone he didn't know, someone whom he had never met. Walker looked at the letter strangely, confused and intrigued by it. The front read "from: Alex Chandler." Jason quickly opened it to see what the letter was about.

- Dear Soldier.

My name is Alex Chandler. I am fourteen years old. I am writing to you to wish you happy holidays. I know this is a hard time for you and your fellow soldiers. Having to stay for so long in a far off country without your family during the holiday season. On behalf of my family we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. There isn't a second that goes by that I don't think about you and all of our armed forces and what you have done to keep this country safe. I appreciate all the sacrifices you have made, big and small, to keep my family and I safe and protecting our freedom. You have my everlasting respect and solemn gratitude for doing what many are afraid to do. Your bravery and courage keep this great nation standing strong.

Sincerely,

The Chandler family. -

The bottom of the letter is signed by all four family members. Walker stared at his letter, mystified by the power of this fourteen year-old's words. He then looked up from his letter to see several other Marines reading their letters. The tent was still noisy with conversation while other Marines tucked into self silence to read their letters. Suddenly a Marine walked into the tent and approached Jason.

"Lieutenant, the Captain needs to see you." He informed Walker.

Without question Walker tucked his two letters into his shirt pocket and followed the Sargent out of the tent. The command headquarters of the company was located just in front of the mess tent. The two Marines entered the tent. Walker stood in attention and saluted.

"Captain Hall. You wanted to see me sir?" Walker questioned.

"At ease, lieutenant. I have some urgent news. Earlier today the U.S. Army received Intel on a possible terrorist group hiding in the Zagros Mountains. They send in three squads of Army Rangers to identify and take out any hostiles in the area."

"Did something go wrong Captain?" Walker questioned.

"Yes, about an hour ago they lost contact with the Rangers. Their last transmission reported heavy fire and a request for back-up. They sent in a predator to survey the situation. It's a mess Walker, combat is too close for air support and one of the three squads have been cut off from the main group."

"So they need us to go in there and get those men out?"

"That's why we're Force Recon. We'll be taking two Ospreys on this mission. I'll be flying with you Lieutenant. Get your Platoon ready." Captain Hall ordered.

Fifteen minutes later all of the platoon was ready and boarding the Ospreys. Walker stood in full combat gear to the side as he watched his Marines board the two aircraft.

"Finally some action, aeh!?" Calioni yelled as he approached Walker.

Walker grinned "Glad your looking forward to it."

"Aaah. Come on Lieutenant. You know you like fighting!" The Corporal coaxed, shivering in the night's cold.

"I wonder if you'll still have that attitude when I'm hauling you off the battlefield with a bullet in your ass." Walker joked.

"Oh you wanna' see that? C'mon, how 'bout you paint a target on my ass. I'll walk away without a scratch. I guarantee it."

Walker smirked and shook his head at Calioni's outlook on the mission. Calioni nodded at Walker then ran to the second Osprey to board it. Captain Hall stood on the loading ramp on the back of the first MV-22 and motioned for Marines to board. Walker ran toward the Captain and climbed into the aircraft. Both Osprey's tiltrotors started and began to spin. A giant ring of sand discharged outward from the pair of vehicles. The first Osprey took off followed by the second. In the first MV-22 was Lieutenant Walker and Captain Hall followed by twenty-two other Marines. In the Second was Corporal Calioni, Private Stones, Sargent Gonzalez and Private Jacobs with another twenty Marines. As the aircraft gained altitude, they started forward as a normal helicopter. But after their speed increased their two tiltrotors turned forward on the aircraft into a turboprop, much like a plane. The night was dark, not even the moon helped illuminate the land below. Only the green circles made by the lights on the Osprey's tiltrotors lit the sky. Walker check his Marines helmets for night-vision goggles, Captain Hall did on the other row.

"What's our ETA Lieutenant?" A Marine questioned.

"We'll be arriving at twenty-three hundred hours. We got fifty minutes Private." Walker answered.

The Marine nodded at his Lieutenant then finished up preparing the rest of his gear. Walker sat down next to Captain Hall as he was looking at a map.

"This is the area of operations Lieutenant. Satellite imaging shows that our guys are on this flat part engaging tangos from the northeast positioned higher up the mountain. The other group of Rangers is southeast of the two squadrons about two clicks away. We are going to be landing on the flat where the two squads are now. Once we come in radio contact with the squads their objective will be to clear an LZ for us." Captain Hall briefed Walker.

"What are the ranger's casualties?" Walker questioned.

"We still don't know. I imagine not too high, those sons a' bitches know how to fight."

Forty-five minutes later the inside of the Osprey was wrought with silent anticipation and anxiety.

"Five minutes till touchdown!" Jason yelled to his Marines.

The Marines stood in the aircraft holding the rails above them with one hand and their rifles in the other. Both MV-22's slowed down as they approached the AOO.

"Rangers do you read? This is Captain Hall of the United States Marine corps. Marine Force Recon." Captain Hall stated through the radio. Various noises came through the radio before finally someone's voice erupted from the speaker.

"This is Lieutenant Matt Coleman, U.S. Army Rangers. Are you our reinforcements?"

"And your way out. We're approaching your combat zone can you give us an LZ?" Hall questioned.

"Roger that. Can you turn those birds around and give us some CAS. Throwing a flare on our position. Don't shoot the red flare." Lieutenant Coleman ordered.

"Walker tell the gunner to not shoot on the red flare! Shoot for the muzzle flashes on the higher land!" Captain Hall forwarded to Walker.

Jason moved from his place and knelt down next to the rear gunner of the Osprey and told him the same thing Hall told him. The gunner turned to the pilot and rotated his arm around in a circle to turn the aircraft around. The pilot nodded and gave a thumbs up. The MV-22 started to rotate and the rear hatch opened so the gunner could shoot. Down below was the bright glow of the flare the Ranger squad had throw down, only brief shadows of the Rangers were visible as they cleared out debris and fired on the enemy. With a thunderous boom the .50 Machine-gun let loose upon the enemy position. Tracer rounds periodically left the barrel of the gun causing a streak of white light to impact the complete darkness on the ground. For a minute or two the firing went on but suddenly the gunner was hit in the arm by a bullet.

"Aah! Shit!" The gunner yelled as his arm was ripped off the machine-gun.

He collapsed to the floor of the Osprey holding his arm with his right hand.

"Man down!" Walker yelled as he grabbed the gunner by the shoulders and slid him back farther into the hull. A vicious shake jolted the Marines inside the aircraft. It had been hit by an RPG. The left tiltrotor was heavily damaged and the Osprey started spiraling out of control.

"We're going down! Hold on to something!" a Marine exclaimed.

"Brace for impact!"

Walker held onto the bottom of a seat as the whole aircraft spun uncontrollably down to earth. The tiltrotor caught fire and smoke traced its spiral movement as it continued to plummet. Finally the Osprey smashed into the ground and twisted in half before coming to a mangled halt. The wreckage had thrown flaming debris around the side of the snow-covered mountain. Walker was thrown next to a rotor with part of the wing protruding into the air. His uniform had been badly damaged with blood covering part of his pant leg. Blood flowed from his forehead into his eyes. Other Marines had been caught inside the hull and more scattered around the pile of metal. Jason crawled away from the rotor clawing through the snow trying to reach his injured Marines. He saw a piece of paper on fire in front of him. For some reason he felt compelled to check his shirt pocket, nothing was inside. He frantically grabbed at the parchment that had now caught on fire. He managed to grab hold of half of the letter, the other he watched burn, it read: "From Jennifer Walker." Jason rolled over on his back in pain still stunned from the crash. He carefully lifted the note into view reading what was left. It was Alex's letter. The lieutenant's vision blurred then tunneled before his body finally relaxed in the fringed snow.


	11. Chase and regret

* * *

**Author's notes: Just a reminder, if you catch any errors while reading this or other chapters please leave a comment or message me. As I said before I lost my editor (brother) due to, for lack of a better term, "loss of interest".**

* * *

"Commander. He's waking up." A woman mentioned with a french accent.

"Thank you Doctor Michel." Commander Shepard spoke in a serious tone.

Shepard paced beside a bed that Lieutenant Walker was sleeping in. The Commander stared at Walker's eyes, noticing brief flickers under his eye-lids. After a few moments his eyes opened and his pupils dilated then retracted from the light. Walker squinted his eyes then exhaled sharply making a groan.

"How are you feeling Lieutenant?" Shepard questioned.

". . . alright I guess. . . where am I?" Walker mumbled.

"Your in the med clinic on the Citadel. You've been under Doctor Chloe Michel's care for two days." Commander Shepard informed, Doctor Michel slightly waved at Walker in the background.

"Thank you Doctor."

"No, the pleasure is all mine Lieutenant. It's not everyday I get to vaccinate a fully grown human with the basic immunizations." Dr. Michel thanked.

"What did you inject me with?!"

"The mandatory immunizations all human infants receive at birth. Carcinogenic inhibitors, IDIV or Infectious Disease Immunity Vaccination, and the VIV, Virus Immunity Vaccination. It's very surprising that a man of your age and active military career has not yet had these, very intriguing." The doctor said in excitement of the medical anomaly. Walker raised his eye brow in confusion at the situation. He looked at Shepard and she nodded to him to remain quiet.

"Your free to leave the clinic Lieutenant. I'll walk you out." Shepard told Walker. Jason looked around puzzled by just waking up and no healing time. He then slid out of bed and walked toward Shepard. She handed him a pair of shoes to put on.

"How do you like your new outfit? I bought it for you yesterday. Figured walking around with a bullet hole in your shirt wouldn't appeal to you."

"It's. . . different." Walker replied looking down at his clothes. It was a blue civilian suit with white features. After Jason put on his shoes he looked up at Shepard.

"Now where to?"

"Now, you and I are going to have a drink. Follow me." Shepard motioned to the door. Walker followed her out to the right toward Flux. The skyline of the Citadel wrapped the outer rim of the city, its purple glow rendered a mellow mood throughout the Upper Wards. They passed a staircase where two C-Sec officers were stepping down. Walker heard them discussing the battle that took place in the Presidium, nothing seemed too relevant until one mentioned the woman with white hair. Jason tuned in intently trying to see if they knew anything about the attack, or even better, the woman he had fought. The other officer said she belonged to some sort of outfit, most likely slavers, and that she had been spotted several times here on the Citadel. Shepard caught what Walker was doing from the corner of her eye and stopped.

"Wanting to know more about that bounty hunter?" Shepard consulted.

"You heard that too?" Jason questioned, surprised by Shepard's hearing.

"When your job is to solve problems you tend to keep an ear out. Especially on the Citadel."

"I imagine so. Do you-"

"Let's not talk about anything regarding that bounty hunter until we're in the nightclub." Shepard interrupted "See that salarian on the balcony, alien with the elongated head, I think he's onto us. He's been here since you were rushed into the Med clinic."

"What do we do?"

"Just follow me, act normal."

The two traveled into the hallway to Flux side by side. The salarian glared at the door opening then pushed off the railing and walked toward the door.

The bass from the club resonated into the hall, the thumbs rattled in their chests. As Shepard and Walker entered Flux Shepard spotted an empty table next to the window. Jason followed behind weaving in between tables and chairs. Jason pulled out a seat for the Commander and preceded to sit across from her. A waiter came by and stood next to the table.

"Welcome to Flux, I'm Rita and will be your server for tonight. Now what can I get for you?" Rita looked at Shepard and smiled, remembering what she had done for her.

"I'll take the usual thank you." Commander Shepard stated.

"And for you sir?" Rita turned to Walker.

"I'll have what she's having." He said, trying to be as smooth an inconspicuous as possible. Rita nodded and walked away to the bar.

"Do you know anything about that bounty hunter?" Walker questioned.

"From what I've found out she's running with a slavers group. She's more of an assassin than a bounty hunter. Various cases popped up in the C-Sec database regarding a mysterious assassin in the Citadel, all unsolved." Shepard informed.

"And how do you know these cases were all linked to her?"

"I don't, but the only unknown assassin can only be her. All the rest have either been identified or killed."

"But why didn't she kill me?" Walker interrogated.

"Another fact that's unanswered. Only explanation would be that you really put up a fight she wasn't expecting, a formidable opponent. Some sort of assassin code or something." Shepard tried to answer, almost as confused as Jason.

Rita returned with two glasses in hand. She put one in front of the Commander and the other in front of the Lieutenant. Shepard took a sip of her glass, staring at Walker's eyes trying to look for something hidden. Jason took a drink from his glass but nearly choked on the liquid inside.

"What is this stuff?!" Walker blurted out, clearing his throat.

"Water. . . why?" Shepard question rather cautiously.

"Sure as hell doesn't taste like it!"

"Oh that's the carcinogenic inhibitor. Makes everything taste like eezo for a couple of hours."

Walker's eyes shifted from his glass to behind Shepard. Shepard moved her eyes to the right then quickly turned out of her seat holding her pistol out front. A salarian held his hands up and looked at Shepard.

"Why are you following us!" Shepard demanded.

"I'm not here to start a fight Commander."

"Then why are you here!" She questioned intensely.

"I'm here to deliver a message from the great lord."

"Who?"

"You can not elude your pursuers. You may have already escaped me twice before but you will never do so again. Consider this message a gift for keeping you waiting, my dear Shepard, because now you have become the lamb." The salarian spoke the message in a vile tone.

Shepard's eyes stared at the salarian, her deep emerald orbs glared past the messenger as if she was staring back into the authors own.

"Who wrote this. . ." Shepard said in a deeply menacing voice. "Who wrote this!" She yelled in extreme anger. The whole night club stood still, everyone turned at Shepard and the salarian in fright.

"Now you must give me something in return. . . What is your first name?" The salarian questioned unperturbed by the Commander's attitude toward him.

". . . You're a Lystheni, aren't you." Shepard realized. "nothing but galactic refuse, an exiled salarian. . ." She continued talking almost off in her own world.

"What is your first name?" The salarian continued to say.

"I'm not giving you anything. Go back to Omega or where ever the hell you crawled out of and tell your 'lord' he's messed with the wrong Spectre."

The salarian stood silent for a moment then laughed.

"Your foolish not to comply. He always gets what he desires." The salarian commented eerily with joy.

Then in a split second the salarian took a shotgun from his back and lifted it. Shepard held her pistol firmly at the salarian's head about to fire before a bang broke the silence. The messenger had shot himself in the head. Shepard watched as the body slumped to the floor, her face suggested she had no remorse for the salarian. Walker looked up at the balcony above him and saw a woman with white hair lift herself from the railing and head toward the exit. Jason got up from his seat and wondered over to the exit hoping to intercept the woman. She looked down at the floor while she was walking down the stairs to notice the Lieutenant tracking her. She hastened her efforts to reach the door. Walker saw she was hurrying so he picked up his pace. The woman stepped to the floor and bolted for the exit.

"Hey! Wait!" Walker yelled to no avail.

She continued dodging back and forth between the people leaving the club. Jason ran after her accidentally knocking two club-goers over. The bounty hunter silently slipped through the door out to the hall. Jason slammed into the crowd then dug his way past the clubs entrance. Walker witnessed the assassin jump the flight of stairs and dart to the turn. Jason jumped on the stairs median and slid down it on his backside before hitting the ground run. The woman looked back before she turned the corner and rushed down the second flight of stairs. Walker grinned, not liking where this chase was going. He grabbed the corner of the wall helping him turn the corner. As he got to the middle of the stairs he jumped for the floor, rolling to break his fall and continued out the door. The assassin turned right toward the markets, Walker followed closely.

"Stop!" Walker yelled once more to try and halt the woman. "God dammit!" He said under his breath. The pursuit blew past several vendor stands and along a railing before the assassin leapt from the banister to the stair case. Walker briefly shook his head knowing full well he'll have to attempt the same thing. The woman continued down the stairs normally, most likely catching her breath. Jason leaped from the guard rail and landed on his right foot. He then sprinted down the stairs after the bounty hunter. The woman looked back in shock to see her pursuer actually made the jump, then she started back to running. The lieutenant launched himself from the flight of stairs toward the woman. He managed to grab her leg and take her down with him. The two tumbled to the floor, Walker landing on his right thigh and the assassin on her hands. They slid into merchant crates, covered by the falling boxes. As the merchandise stopped falling it managed to knock Walker's arm free for the assassin's leg. She lifted herself from the floor and with a quick burst of speed she resumed the chase. Jason knelt up from the floor holding his arm then started limping after the woman. He leaned to the right in pain trying to "gallop" after her. The two passed Morlan's shop and in through two doors leading to Chora's Den. The woman suddenly pounced from her stride to the railing then with one foot on the waist high wall she dove down into the Citadel rapid transit highway.

"Shit!" Walker roared as he saw her disappear. Jason hit the wall too fatigued to stop himself then peered over the edge. No sign of the assassin or any kind of transportation. Jason sighed in disbelief then turned and slid down the wall sitting on the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" He yelled slamming his fist on the metallic ground. What happen? Where could she have gone? Why would she do something like that? What is she hiding? All these questions flowed through the raging river that was Walker's mind. He stood up from the floor and hobbled away. A crowd gathered around the doorway watching Walker as he made his way through the lower markets. Hastened footfall echoed from the stairs, it was Shepard. she approached Jason halfway in the room.

"What happened? Did you subdue her?" She questioned.

"No, no she jumped off the railing -_groan-_ into some, some highway." Walker uttered still out of breath.

Shepard picked up Jason's arm and draped it over her shoulder, helping him walk. As they headed out of the lower market Walker looked back at the door he came from, trying to see any sign of the bounty hunter.

On the Normandy, after the Commander brought Walker back on board, she went over several searches and leads with Joker about anyone proclaiming themselves a "great lord". As if Citadel space needed anymore psychotic leaders.

"I don't think we'll be coming up short on any self-proclaimed 'great prophets' commander. A lot of those floating around." Joker stated.

"Just run a search for anything under that category, I have a feeling this one is bigger than the rest. C-Sec or the Extranet has to have something on it." Shepard ordered.

"I'll do what I can commander."

The Commander walked away from Joker's seat and down the walkway. As she looked forward she saw Kaidan walking toward her with a bag in hand. Shepard gave him a shocked look. Kaidan watched her expression and sighed to himself. As he walked out to the decontamination room Shepard followed, the door slid shut behind them.

"What are you doing?!" Shepard questioned frantically.

"I'm. . .I'm going to take some time off commander." He replied hesitantly.

Shepard flicked her eyes back and forth to each of Kaidan's, trying to assess his feelings "Wh-why?" she spoke impulsively "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to take some shore leave, be alone for awhile, figure things out. You should do the same commander. For the crews sake, for our sake."

"I can't do that Kaidan, I'm a Spectre. People count on me. I can't just abandon them."

"But that's not all you are Shepard. Your so much more than just a Spectre. . . at least, to me."

"People will die if I take a break. I can't afford that."

"People die weather we can help it or not, you can't save everybody. You need to know that commander."

Shepard stood silent, not wanting to accept those words, not wanting to accept the truth.

"I know. . . I know why you do what you do. Why you try and save everyone. It's because of your family isn't it? You couldn't save them, there was nothing you could do, but you blame yourself for doing nothing. So you try and save everybody from the same feeling, the same grief you felt. And it's destroying you, every single loss that does happen, un-preventable or not, eats away at you. . ."

Shepard's eyes widened, she fell back on the wall bracing herself with her right arm. Kaidan looked away toward the ground, then walked out of the ship. Shepard, for the first time since her families death, felt vulnerable. She put her left hand over her eyes and slid to the ground, her feet bowing out as she lowered. All the blood, screams, fire and sorrow rushed back to her thoughts, a dread of immense power covered her. Silently she wept in that cold room, tears streaked down the thick ceramic plating covering her arm. Nothing but the sound of tears falling upon her hardsuit filled the air. The sounds and smells from the raid on Mindoir razed her scared memories. The smell of her mother and father's flesh as she watched them being burned alive. The sound of their shrills of agony as their skin melted off them. The iron taste of blood flooded her mouth as she watched her friends get butchered by the slavers. The chilling feeling as the raiders drilled implants into the skulls of the people around her. All of it came back to her, just as raw, just as real as before. At the helm of the ship Joker watched the whole incident through a camera in the decontamination room. He turned it off and closed his eyes, in physical pain for having watched his commanding officer break down.

In the garage, Walker sat in a corner next to all of his gear. He was looking at a picture of his wife on their honeymoon to the Caribbean. To himself he smiled remembering the good time they had and how beautiful her long blonde hair looked in the sun. He then remembered all the plans, all the journeys they where going to take as a couple. The two, together, buying a new house, having kids, raising a family, starting their new lives with one another. It all coursed through his mind. Then he realized he was stuck in a different time, a different age. Being dragged out of a gritty war, even then being away from his lover for seven months and still having three and a half more to go. Tacked on to that was this frightening time shift, how long will it take? Will he ever make it back? Lieutenant Walker wondered if he'll ever return.


	12. Unsavory people

The air stood still with a blue tint, breathless, treated, artificial oxygen. Every difference in it prominently showing. It wasn't like earth's air, it lacked the smells and tastes Walker was accustom to. The way it effortlessly flowed into his lungs made him sick. Sleeping in it proved fruitless, as he lay upon his kevlar vest and BDU he tossed and turned. Draping his left arm over his eyes in discomfort he tried to at least rest. He found it rather hard to fathom that back in his time in Iraq no matter the situation, bad or worse, whenever it came time to sleep he could. Yet here he is, under no life threatening conditions, he can't. The elevator to the garage began to lower, someone was coming down. Jason remained still on the ground thinking it wouldn't matter either way if he was lying down or siting up to this person. The elevator stopped and the door opened, footsteps proceeded from the lift coming toward Walker. They passed hastily by, as they did a relief came over Jason. The reason being unknown, he didn't dislike anyone on the ship, hell, he didn't know anyone on the ship. Except for the Commander, he knew her, perhaps more than expected. A strange aura surrounded her and Walker could feel it, every time they came face to face. Those eyes, those eyes of her's captivated him. He felt compelled to stare into them but, compelled to look away as well. Jason continued thinking about Shepard, he couldn't get her off his mind. As he wandered deep into thought he drifted to sleep.

Walker gently floated back to consciousness, his eyes still closed. The cold of space absorbed into his body. With a thought of intrigue Jason opened his eyes. He was still in the garage aboard the Normandy. For some reason the ship left the Citadel and traveled somewhere out in the universe, Jason smirked at the idea of him actually space traveling. He got up from his corner to go find the Commander.

On the bridge Shepard was hard at work at the galaxy map arguing about something, the argument was not holding up well for her.

"Why are we building more colonies in the Attican Traverse? I thought we learned from Mindoir!" She questioned with dismay.

"I see what your trying yo say here Shepard, but the alliance has no place to argue with government affairs." Hackett said, attempting to sooth Shepard's nerves.

The Commander turned her eyes to the ground and sighed, knowing full well she wasn't going to enjoy this mission.

"I understand Admiral, I'll see to it that we will carry out this mission successfully." The Commander bit those words, this was a bad idea.

"What should we do Commander?" Joker waited for orders.

"Head to planet TF-14. We need to protect the terra-forming project." Shepard blandly stated. If something was going to go down, the batarians are going to have something to do with it, god she hated batarians. By the time Walker made it to the bridge he came face to face with Commander Shepard in the doorway.

"Hey." She greeted.

"Hi, what's going on?" Jason questioned about going into space.

"Follow me, I need to vent. . ." Shepard directed Walker. With a confused look about his face Walker followed his new Commander down the stairs into the medical bay. Doctor Chakwas briefly looked up at the two walking through her facility. Then the doctor went back to adjusting her utensils. The door slid shut behind them, not more than a second later Shepard drove her fist hard into a supply box, yelling as she did. Then she turned to another box and kicked it into the air, the contents showering the metal floor. Walker was stunned by the amount of random hostility being slung around. The Commander then punch the wall over and over. Walker jumped behind Shepard and grabbed her.

"Hey, hey, hey! Your going to break your hand!" He yelled dragging her from the wall. Shepard struggled for a second but then stopped, trying to calm down. Deep breaths lifted Walker's arms up and down around her chest.

"Are you O-K? Can I let you go?" Walker stated slowly.

" -_long drawn out breath_- I'm fine, I'm fine. You can let go of me."

Walker held on for a couple seconds longer then released. Shepard turned around and looked at Jason.

"What's going on? Can you tell me why your so upset?" Walker negotiated.

"It's the mission. . . No, no It's not the mission. It's. . . We're starting to build another colony in the Attican Traverse. Damn fools, they didn't learn from their last mistake!" Shepard blurted out in her anger.

"Who's we?" The Lieutenant questioned.

"Humanity."

"Ok, what happened the last time." Jason carefully spoke, trying to avoid more damaged boxes.

"A batarian raid happened last time. . . Killing the families of many colonist and everyone they knew, everyone I knew. My family was among those who perished. Now it's going to happen again. Everything that happened to me and the few that survived Mindoir is going to happen to someone else. It's just a matter of time."

Walker stood silent, staring into Shepard's blazing green eyes. "Maybe it's a sign of progress. Maybe they'll build better defenses-" Walker was interrupted mid-sentence.

"No, their going to entice thousands of families into this 'paradise' as they'll call it, then abandon them for the next project. Leaving the colonists to fend for themselves! They're begging for another batarian attack!" Shepard shouted in frustration. Walker lifted his hands to his chest, palms forward, his sign of no argument.

Shepard sighed "Sorry for dragging you into my personal vendetta Walker, I know you don't understand any of it. Hell, you probably don't understand anything that's going on right now."

"I understand enough to know that a good person is in distress, and I'll do anything to help." Jason stated sincerely.

"Thanks for that. I could use someone like you right now. . ." Shepard leaned on the desk behind her, tilting her head back. In the break of conversation Walker looked around the room, sorting the mood out.

"What's the purpose of the mission Commander?" Jason finally broke the silence.

"Investigate scattered hostilities on the planet. According to the Terra-forming project's owner there's been attacks on his employees. The workers state that out of the one hundred thousand there about a fifth of them have come under some sort of fire."

"Sounds like a significant threat."

"I strongly believe that once we hit land that number is going to go up."

"Any reasons for the conflict, besides the obvious."

"Obvious being batarians, yes. Possibly enemies of the projects founder, rival terra-forming firm, sectarian violence, the list goes on and on. However the founder refuses to disclose any information about his competitors."

"Uncooperative rich business owners, I've been there. Well the uncooperative part mostly."

The Normandy quietly orbited TF-14. From outer space it looked like a spherical mass of black and brown. Scattered around the planets surface where giant gray dots, atmospheric generators no doubt. More features gathered around it's face, gray specks made a circular pattern around the eastern face with a silver square in the center. Most likely the Terra-forming head quarters. A premature atmosphere hovered around the planet, a wispy gray and white film in color. In the garage all available shore-party units suited up. Wrex stood next to his locker, loading and checking his weaponry. To the right of him Liara adjusted her hard-suit, making sure everything was intact. Walker rotated his shoulders around, trying to get used to the feel of a hard-suit. Spotting the strange behavior Tali moved toward him. Jason jumped up and down still figuring out how the suit would feel, before him stood Tali, her head nodded up and down following his jumps.

"How do you feel in that suit?" Tali question while she poked at her omni-tool.

"Alright, it's surprisingly comfortable." walker replied.

"Hmm, here let me calibrate it for you. Turn around."

Jason turned around then Tali began touching various buttons, each stroke making a conformation noise. Then a suction sound can from the suit as it form fitted to his body. "Ow, that's going to take some getting used to. . ." Walker said with a hint of surprise through his space helmet.

"Should be all set now. Tell me if you need anything else." Tali then walked off toward her locker. Garrus had some of his equipment set on the Mako, he put on his helmet, locking it in place. Then examined his assault rifle, looking at it's mechanics.

"Hey Wrex." Garrus called.

"Yeah?" Wrex answered back in his ever intimidating tone of voice.

"Toss another assault rifle over here, one of those HMWA's."

"Normandy special comin' right up." Wrex muttered in an unusual mood of 'happiness'. Garrus launched his old rifle at the krogan, catching it with one hand Wrex then threw the higher grade rifle Garrus' way. With a firm grip the turian caught the piece of equipment in mid air. Commander Shepard stood on the elevator as it came down. The door opened and she walked by Jason, briskly turning her body around him as to not bump into him. With her helmet under her arm she stood next to a table next to the lockers. She picked up several weapons from it came back to Walker.

"Here, these are your weapons." Shepard handed the Lieutenant them one at a time "Assault rifle, you know what it's used for. Just sling it under your arm toward your back, it will automatically lock in place. Pistol, put it on your right leg. And finally your shotgun, attach it to the small of your back." She instructed.

"Commander." Joker called over the intercom "We have clearance to land. ETA ten minutes." The room was still as everyone listened intently to the pilot's words.

"Alright, let's hurry up! Make sure your respiratory systems are stable and life support online. We're landing in empty." Shepard cautioned her crew. The term empty is slang for an atmosphere that has no breathable oxygen, widely used in the military to inform personnel of these conditions. Shepard put on her helmet and fastened the neck joints. The Normandy swooped down from orbit and entered the clearance zone. A faint glow of the solar system's sun glistened off the navy metal of the ships bow. Toward the planets terra-forming head quarters the alliance ship approached, still quite a ways from the planets surface. Faster and faster the Normandy gracefully plummeted to the ground arcing to the specified landing area. As it cut deep into the planets skyline things began showing up on the ground. First various large-bodied vehicles could be seen, then smaller ones finally followed by people, a lot of them at that. This operation was larger than anyone could have expected. Finally the Normandy slid above the planets surface then slowly declined in speed before easing into a hangar. Upon coming to a complete stop, fueling and positioning clamps gripped the ship. The garage hissed as the air inside was being let out by nozzles, preventing a vacuum effect when the hangar ramp opened. A beep followed by a peculiar mechanical gurgle, like a ball tumbling inside a plastic maze but deeper, sounded in everyone's helmet. The respiratory system had turned on in the suits. With a soft humming the ramp lowered to the ground. The feeling was something to behold, never in his life had Walker felt or even come close to thinking of something like this. A humbling feeling came over him, an inhospitable environment around him, mere inches from his skin, but inside this suit he was safe. Nearly fainting Jason regained his fundamental motor skills.

"Lieutenant, Tali, Garrus. Come with me. Wrex, Liara, unload the Mako and guard the ship." Shepard ordered. The shore party nodded in confirmation and the two teams split up. Shepard gently stepped down the ramp looking around the surface of the planet through the hangar opening. To the right they walked up a flight of stairs. It was odd not to have a pressurize hangar, Shepard couldn't think of any reason not to, unable to afford it was definitely not the question. As they made their way to the facility's entrance sounds boomed off in the distance, even through metal walls the noises were loud. Touching a door control panel Shepard opened a door to a stabilization room. The four of them walked into the room and the door closed.

"Stand by, stabilizing interior conditions, with internal atmosphere." The computers voice informed. More hisses came from various parts in the room. "Welcome, Commander Shepard, Officer Vakarian, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, and Unknown, crew of the SSV Normandy." The computer continued.

"Somebodies been doing some digging." Shepard said, impressed and a little surprised.

"Sounds like paranoia. An identification scanner build into a stabilizing room? This guy might be on the fritz. . ." Garrus heeded. Shepard took off her helmet and placed it in a helmet rack. Suddenly a hatch in the wall opened and the helmet when in, then the hatch shut as quickly as it opened.

"Yet they can afford a pressurized hangar?!" Shepard question, bewildered at the automatic helmet cleaning and storage system. "Outsides probably just a facade. This just keeps getting better and better." The rest of the team disconnected their helmets and placed them in their respective holders. The door to the inside slid open. Inside the structure was metallic with a giant wall of windows concaving inward in an artistic design. High-end furniture, elegant lighting, various art on the walls, something told Shepard she wasn't going to get along with this guy.

"Whoa. . ." Tali inadvertently murmured. The team began walking into the middle of the building. Everyone's head on a swivel, except Shepard, she already hated this masquerade of unnecessary pleasantries. As they came upon a massive sitting area with a equally as large water feature. Cascading fountains surrounded by a pond bending around the three fountains.

"Ah yes, the Commander and her crew. Come to save the day have we?" A voice echoed. A man briskly walked toward the four. He then stood about four feet away.

"Commander Shepard of the SSV Nomandy." She held out her hand expecting a hand shake.

The man looked down at her extended arm with only his eyes ". . . A bow would suffice." He said poshly. The Commander's eyes lit up in anger, what a brusque bastard. Avoiding any jeopardizing conflict she reluctantly bowed.

"And your henchmen. . ." He continued. Shepard couldn't believe this guys rudeness.

"You aren't talking to them. Your talking to me." She informed, in the least amount of anger possible.

"Good. At least you military type know some measurable amount of communication talent." He scolded. "Come, follow me." As the man turned around Shepard looked back at her party, everyone couldn't believe this guy. The two walked toward the windowed wall, the man stared out onto his operation.

"No doubt you've read the report." He spoke.

"I have. I understand there's been attacks on your workers here."

"Yes, you understand correct."

"Do you have any information on where the attacks took place?" Shepard question.

"What do I look like? Some hooligan in the hills? I run a corporation here, not a back water, cess pool you call a military installation. Now I've hired you, a 'Spectre' as they call you, to find and remove this minuscule problem. And if you can't do that I suggest you go back to your incest ridden farming life and let me hire someone who will."

Shepard was seething with ferocity, how dare this chauvinistic, egotistical, over indulged pig berate her like this. How could she even work with someone as rude and obnoxious as this man. She stood silent, if anything the next noise coming from her would be the sound of a trigger clicking, right before the bullet.

"Yes. I've read your report, your 'life story'. The only reason I got you is because they said you were the best they had. A colonist, how typical. The highest branch you could reach for was to join the military. . . So go off and do your warmongering, and if you are to die. . . try not to bleed all over my planet. . ." He continued yet again to needlessly verbally abuse her.

"I don't think you understand the full spectrum here. You know nothing about me and you know nothing about my crew. The only thing you do know is that I'm the only one that can help you. So the next time you open your mouth to disgrace something you can't even comprehend, I'm out of here. Then you'll have to deal with this problem by yourself, and that means even more money down the drain. I suggest you keep your forked tongue behind your teeth." Shepard retorted. She clenched her fist restraining herself from beating this guy within an inch of his life. "And if for any reason you fail to agree with what I am saying, I'll make sure to pin something on you." She paced around his back to his left "You have ties somewhere, I know it. Cerberus, batarians, Omega. . . you have ties somewhere. I'll make sure to pile so much shit on you that all the money you have ever had, or will ever make won't save you. Then, I promise you, then the next time you see me, you'll be begging to have me kill you where you stand. . . ." Shepard smiled with methodical turned into something different, something horrifying. Something came about her that has never done so before. For the first time she wanted to kill, she wanted to harm, she wanted to rend. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to, she desired to. The man stood still, as if to try and turn invisible. His face twitched and quivered. Nothing was coming out of him any more. Shepard walked off toward her squad. If she still was planning on completing the mission she'd have to find someone else in charge, and that someone would definitely be more pleasant than the owner.

A few hours later the team got things back together. Shepard and her team patrolled the area talking to various workers. This was very familiar to Walker, much like a regular knock and talk back in Iraq, except with people that are willing to cooperate and significantly less 'knocking'. On several interviews with the workers Shepard discovered that the attacks preferably clustered to the north, somewhere around a mountainous region. More investigating revealed that the head of the labor force was none other than Lilihierax himself. The group continued on to a cluster of tables and metal surrounded by various vehicles. Shepard hastened her pace, wanting to know if this turian was actually the one from Noveria.

"Li, is that you?" The commander inquired to the turian hunched over several blue prints.

"Well I'll be damned. . ." Li uttered in disbelief " If it isn't Commander Shepard." he stood up from his papers and strode to Shepard. The two extended arms and shook each other's hand firmly.

"It's been awhile Li." Shepard related.

"Sure has. I was getting sick of the cold and managed to leave Noveria the first flight out after you left. How have you been, a little more decorated since we last met I hear."

"You hear correct, although most of the story is probably still classified. I didn't know you were in the Terra-forming business."

"I'm more than an old turian that knows how to fix a shuttle. I won't bore you with the details, but I do know why you're here, and damn glad you are. As you know we've been getting hit by attacks lately and they've increased in number and power."

"That's something I wasn't aware of. . ." The Commander spoke in intrigue.

"Yeah, well the jackass that wrote the report is probably sipping wine and enjoying not being stuck in a hard-suit right now. He doesn't care about us, as long as this rock's progress stays in the green he's fine, but we aren't . About thirty men died in the attacks and a hundred more wounded. Luckily my guy's know how to dodge a bullet or that number would have been doubled. We need your help, direly." He slammed his fist in his palm.

"That's what we're here for Li. Point me in the right direction and your problem will be solved." Shepard comforted.

"I have a better idea. I'll drive you and your team to the location of the most recent attack in that utility truck." He pointed at a rather large vehicle "Then we might be able to entice those vermin into another attack. They'll be in for a nasty surprise. I also have to program the atmosphere generator there to sync with the rest, a two birds with one stone approach."

"Sounds like a plan. We're ready when you are."

Lilihierax grabbed a data pad from the table next to him. "Lets get this shindig on the dirt."

The five walked to the truck, Li turned to the drivers side of the vehicle while Shepard's team climbed the ladder up to the bed one at a time. The truck's bed stood about two stories off the ground, a row of seats on each side for personnel. The cab of the truck stretched the two stories as well, although the driver sat about half way in a windowed cockpit. The bottom level was used to house pieces of equipment and resources. Above the second level was a crane laid down length wise on the left and a digging drill on the right. The metal of it was a faint green and gray, the model was probably a military grade utility vehicle. The engine started with a growl, the truck rumbling as it did. As the truck gained speed Shepard's squad sat on top, Walker to the bottom left with Tali next to him on his left, in front of Jason was Shepard and to her right was Garrus.

"Who is, exactly, responsible for these attacks?" Garrus spoke.

"No one here knows, not even I do. When we kill a few make sure to look for any insignias or markings on their hard-suits that might identify them." Shepard answered.

"But what if this is a rouse Shepard, what if they want to lead us to believe that they're something they aren't." Tali concerned. Shepard stared at the floor under her feet, thinking.

Garrus turned his head to Tali "That's impossible, Although it might explain all the confusion. . . But why would they go through all the trouble?"

"Maybe they want to. . lure. . .alli-. . .- kill. . . ." Tali's voice faded in Shepard's ears. A sickening felling befell the Commander. Suddenly she realized who might want to lure them out here. She thought back to the incident in Flux, the salarian's message to her. A trap, they lead her straight into the jaws of a crocodile and she didn't even think about it till it was too late. A veil of darkness covered her, the nauseous feeling in her stomach grew. Something big was going to happen on this planet, something huge. She couldn't get the thought of this all leading to her death out of her mind. The dread she has been feeling a lot lately came back to her. This is the planet she will be killed on, this is where her life will cease to exist.

"Commander! Are you alright?" Walker said startled. He put his hand on her knee "Are you alright? It looks like you're about to pass out."

She lifted her head, gasping "I'm fine -_deep breaths-_ I'm alright."

Tali, Garrus, and Jason stared at her concerned then looked at each other, worried.

After fifteen more minutes of driving the truck approached it's destination just seconds away. Over the comm system in their hard-suits Li informed them "Alright, here's the atmosphere generator. One of fifty to be exact. I'll just hop out of the truck and put in the activation timer. Cover me if you see any bad guys."

The generator was a large structure standing roughly seventy-five feet tall and a radius of thirty feet around. How it forms an atmosphere is by spraying a heterogeneous mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and various other essential elements. The mixture is then surrounded by a element zero 'net' that adjusts to the planets gravitational field via electric current to help bind the atmosphere to the gravitational field itself. After it sets in the eezo is then siphoned off by large aircraft fitted with 'shield collectors', the same as that of a hard-suits shielding. Li climbed out of the drivers seat and headed toward the computer terminal on the generator. The squad on the truck looked out into the distance for any hostile threats. A mountainous area was to the right of the truck, Garrus and Shepard took up watch on that area. Tali and Walker climbed down the ladder and patrolled behind Li. A few minutes passed with nothing happening. Li punched in access code after access code to bring the main control panel online. Shepard spotted three silhouettes emerging from the foothills under the mountain.

"Three unknowns approaching our position to the northwest." Shepard whispered in the mic.

Walker and Tali looked at each other then slowly sneaked behind the generator.

"Don't fire until I give the order." Shepard warned. She grabbed for her sniper rifle and took aim at the three unknowns, trying to get a better look. A metal beam was in her way of a better angle, she slowly got down on her left thigh and crawled past the beam using her left forearm. Slower still she crouched up from the floor and took aim at the three.

"They're not wearing terra-form worker uniforms." She relayed the information to her squad.

"Where are they headed to? To the truck or the generator?" Jason questioned.

"To the generator. Wait till they get close to engage."

"Wilco."

Tali took cover on the left wall, back against the metal surface. Walker did the same but on the right side, peering out of cover every now and then. The three targets started moving faster toward the generator.

"What are they doing? Why only three?" Garrus prodded for information. The three stopped mid stride and watched. Then they started to run back to where they came.

"That's why, their a scouting party!" Shepard yelled "Open fire!"

Bullets propelled toward the targets. A blue sphere surround each one as their shields were being hit. Shepard held one steady in her scope, waiting for the right moment. With a deep bang the rife was fired, the target on the left fell, tumbling lifelessly from the running he did just moments earlier. Another sniper rifle round fired, this time from Garrus' gun. The middle scout fell, body following the bullets trajectory as it did. The third and final target gave in to automatic weapons fire, collapsing in place. Tali and Walker traveled over to the bodies, Shepard and Garrus not far behind. Jason knelt down by one of the corpses examining the equipment he had.

"Commander Shepard, you should have a look at this." Tali beaconed her superior. Shepard jogged next to Tali to look at the three bodies.

"There are two batarians and one human. This is strange, don't batarians hate humans?" Tali sounded.

"They do. . ." Shepard answered simply "There's only one reason for a batarian to fight along side a human." she paused " They're slavers."

"The generator is ready to go. Let's get the hell outta here!" Li insisted. The squad turned their attention to the truck and headed off. Shepard stood next to the dead scouting party. Still examining the bodies she noticed that they wore the same armor and the same weapons. She bent down to flip one of the bodies. On the chest of the batarian was a patch, an emblem. Shepard's eye's dilated through her visor. It was the same worn by the salarian at Flux. . . That of which was worn by the slavers on Mindoir. . . And Elysium. . . .


	13. Not over yet

**A/N: After further inspection of the lack of paragraph distinction in my previous chapters I decided to us the "--------". I'd like to thank R-I-C-A-R-D for the line method. I took the lines from him, thanks for the idea ;P. Again, any mistakes you spot write me up, I can't spot them all by myself.**

* * *

The orange sun beamed down on the planet in it's raw and unforgiving form. It's harsh heat canceled out only by the abyss of space itself. Several hours after the activation of the fiftieth and final atmosphere generator, teams of workers poured into head quarters to await the generation process and get a break from work.

"Within the hour we should have the atmosphere processing underway. You should probably grab a seat somewhere with a nice view." Li instructed to the Commander. Shepard nodded and turned to the construction tents where her squad resided. Inside a tent Jason and Wrex sat on two separate cots examining their weapons.

"I understand what you mean, but there is no cleaning required for these weapons." Wrex stated.

"That's incredible. This is nothing like back home." Jason remarked.

"Must've been nice, using primitive weapons on your enemy. Dealing massive internal damage. Unlike today with the neatness of our current weapons, with the old kind the bullets tumbled upon entry. So that means the guns your used to only take one to two shots to bring down someone. Ours on the other hand, takes about six to ten."

"So I can get hit three times and not die?" Jason questioned.

"If they don't know where to shoot, yes. The bullets now are so fast, internal damage is only the size of the bullet. . . easily survivable." Wrex answered with disappointment.

"Your rather friendly today Wrex." Shepard said surprised as she entered the tent.

"Only because he's from the past. I admire warriors from history, krogan or not. They were able to use crude weapons with deadly results."

Walker had a surprised look on his face, although hidden by his helmet. Shepard took the rifles off her back and laid them on a table beside her. Shepard moved her fingers toward her at Walker, motioning to follow her. Jason looked at her then looked at Wrex, he stood up and went out of the tent. They briskly paced past several more tents. Utility trucks and land rovers drove by the encampment. Three workers crossed the pair's path, their body language suggested that they were conversing intently about something.

"Where are we going?" Walker caught up to Shepard's side.

"Up there, on that ridge." She replied.

"Any particular reason you keep picking on me Commander?"

"No, not really." She smirked.

"Okay. Is there any reason to be some what interested in what we're about to do?" Jason tried again.

"Yes."

"Geez, it's like talking to my wife. Always the 'under four word' routine when she tries to surprise me."

Shepard smiled "She does this to you?"

"Yeah she does. I swear you two are related." Walker kidded back. Shepard laughed softly at the idea before hoping up on a rock, beginning their climb to the top of the ridge.

---------------------------

After settling down on the summit of the ridge Walker and Shepard gazed out to the vast emptiness of this desolate planet. The two sat on a slab of rock that dropped down into a sort of bowl formation, offering a nice seating area. As they watched the horizon Shepard grew silent, going deep into thought.

"Why did you sign up?" Shepard finally spoke.

Jason moved his head toward Shepard "To be honest. . . I wanted to do something more. Something important."

"Why's that?"

"I felt that I needed to serve, something in me desired to. I wanted to find better people, people like me. Not the average mess of people you get, they . . . they take everything for granted. They're disrespectful at best and obnoxiously rude at worst. At least the ones I've came across. I've lost all hope for humanity learning about all the idiotic things people do and do to each other. They think everything's about them, everything revolves around them, there is no mutual respect. In the military there is respect and the people in it hold something higher than themselves. Even though the people they protect don't give two cents for them, they still do it. Now that's the people I want to know, that's the people I want to surround myself with. After I graduated officer school I wanted to help them, lead them, and protect them."

"Not your everyday story Walker. I like yours a little better than the rest." Shepard praised. "What caused you to despise the population?"

"Like I said I've watched and learned a lot of stupid and disgraceful things people do. Sick freaks raping their very own children, brainless young teenagers spreading explicit pictures of themselves for attention, having no regard for their own futures. Armed psychos shooting up public places, killing innocent people." He squinted his eyes in anger. "In my civilian career, a high school history teacher, I saw a lot of kids, the morally inept kind, abuse other kids. I didn't understand why, the kids being picked on were good kids. They pretend to be friends with them, only to stab them in the back. Made me sick to be around dim-witted, thoughtless people like them, teenagers and adults alike."

"They can't all be like that."

"Your probably right, I'm being too harsh, but, after awhile trying to see one good person out of a million bad starts to get blurry."

---------------------------

Several more minutes passed, the two sat in silence for awhile. Pondering their thoughts.

"Have you. . . have you ever been shot before?" Walker questioned hesitantly, thinking about what Wrex said.

The question caught Shepard by surprise "Yeah, once. Right here." She arched back putting her hand on the left side of her stomach under her ribs. Walker watched her hand touch her side.

"How about you?" She offered back.

"No, no I've never been shot. In an aircraft crash but never shot." Jason tried to relate while snapping his eyes back to Shepard's visor. Suddenly a deep rumble shook the surface of the planet, rattling the ridge fiercely. Walker latched on to the rock he was sitting on, Shepard did the same. A mist quickly crept to the sky then slowly made it's way toward their location. The suspended vapor pressed on the gravitational field of the planet, like a blanket of clouds. Then, almost immediately it shot straight to the ground, now traveling even faster. The silent torrent of mist blew past the two enveloping them in it. Walker couldn't even see the woman sitting no more that two feet away. Jason stood up to get a full sense of the phenomenon. He was captivated by the light gray blindness but then realized that he stood next to the ridges edge and sat back down, startled by the fact.

"Have you. . . ever seen anything like this?" Walker spoke in disbelief.

". . . Never . . ." Shepard said under her breath, she too, mesmerized.

The clouding dissipated to reveal a brilliant blue sky. Nothing so truly beautiful had their eyes ever set upon. A beep sounded in Shepard's helmet and she quickly looked down to her wrist. The hard-suit's system had scanned the atmosphere and labeled it suitable for breathing. She put her hands to her neck and unfastened the helmet and removed it from around her head. Walker saw what Shepard did and followed suit. Shepard coughed as she took a breath of the air, she clenched her hand into a fist and put it close to her mouth and continued coughing. Jason experienced the same thing, nobodies lungs were used to such fresh and pure air. It carried a sweet taste and aroma along with a weightless feeling to it. Shepard looked around the planet to notice that the mist still engulfed the land below. It dawned upon her that she and Walker were the first ones to see and breath the atmosphere of this planet, a legendary privilege to say the least. Loud eerie cracks began sounding off in the distance, probably the ground settling after the atmosphere established on the planet. They sat still admiring the amazing view for several moments, taking it all in.

"Why did that alien want to know your first name?" Jason wondered.

The Commander snapped out of her state of awe, unnerved by Walker's question.

"I don't know." She lied softly. She knew in her mind why that salarian wanted to know her name, and who wanted to find her. Shepard had been Clinging onto a false hope, the hope that maybe it wasn't him. The one who lead the raid on her home planet, the one who tried to kill her during the skyllian blitz. The reality was raw and unforgiving, the man who haunted her nightmares and scared her has returned, she knew it deep down inside. The signs were painfully familiar and real.

"What is your first name?" Walker questioned harmlessly, but to Shepard, his question was anything but harmless. Her eyes flickered across the landscape, hoping to find a way out of the situation, nothing came.

With bated breath she looked down to the ground "I. . . don't know. . ." She repeated.

". . . what . . .?" Walker softly whispered, deeply concerned. Out of no where a burst of pain shot from Shepard's right eye, the iris had sparked a bright teal again, the same as the last time. She bit down hard growling slightly, attempting to conceal the debilitating agony. Her body shook as it reeled from the sudden shock. Arms giving way she collapsed on her knees then landed on her left palm. Fingers dug into the ground as she held her face. Jason leapt to her aid, but there was nothing he could do. He knelt down beside her, hands ready to hold her down. Shepard's head and shoulders slouched to the ground, her knees still holding her up. A smaller series of cracks reverberated through the air. Jason then turned his head to the sky near the workers encampment. He had heard the unmistakable sounds of war.

"Dammit!" He yelled in a whisper, looking around for a weapon then back down at the Commander. The gunfire became more repetitive as the seconds went by, something big was going down. A loud thud echoed through the air, some kind of explosion.

"Come on Shepard, we need to get down there and-" Walker stopped as something went soaring about four feet over his head. The hefty whizzing sound suggested it was a large shell. Shepard moaned and gently lifted her torso off the ground shaking her head. Jason grabbed her by the arm and helped her to her seat.

"Are you alright now?" He asked, looking into her pain stricken eyes.

"Better. . . still one hell of a headache." She answered.

"There's a battle going on at the camp. We need to go."

"Alright, take this" She handed him her pistol, her hand still unsteady. She then took the shotgun from her back and looked down toward the camp.

"The fog is still down there. We can try and flank them."

"Just you and I?!" The lieutenant exclaimed.

"What? You haven't seen me fight?" She grinned. The two climbed over the ledge they sat on and shuffled down the ridge. Shepard jumped a few feet down and slid, trying to hasten the trek.

---------------------------

Gravel splashed on the ground making a plume of dirt that quickly blended into the mist. Shepard crept down the last rock to the flat surface. Signaling to follow she slowly walked into the white wall. Visibility was almost none, although sounds of combat could still be heard. A couple more yards they walked, all while scanning their field of view. On her scanner she picked up three targets to the right, none holding the Normandy's shore party frequency. They slowed their pace, keeping the footfall out of ear shot. A side of a crate appeared out of the fog, the two took cover behind it. Shepard leaned out to spot the enemies standing over a table, appearing to look at some paperwork. She held up three fingers to the Lieutenant, he nodded. The Commander peeled off of cover and quietly approached the group. As they closed in one of the three started talking.

"Who the hell are we looking for anyway?!" He said in a batarian accent "We're slavers not detectives working on a missing persons case!"

"Yeah, but the Lord said this haul is going to be big" The second one informed. Shepard snuck behind the one at the table, she lifted her firearm at the batarian's back and squeezed the trigger. Bits of hard-suit, flesh and blood splattered on the table and all over the paper. The second one jumped back grabbing for his rifle. Two more shots blared, Jason shot the slaver in the chest. He fell to the ground, hitting the side of a chair on the way down. The third turned and began firing upon the two. Shepard pulled the dead batarian off the table and kicked it over. They both ducked behind the table firing back at the slaver. His shields glowed as the bullets pelted him, he tried to find cover but couldn't. With one final barrage of rounds he fell to the ground, mortally wounded. Shepard jumped the cover and walked over to the downed slaver who was face up on the ground. She stood next to his head and lifted her leg then brought it down swiftly into the batarian's face, smashing his eyes and facial bones.

"Eat boot. . ." She snarled at the dead slaver. Walker jerked his head back at the scene, surprised at the brutality, but they deserved nothing less, not after what they did to Shepard's life. He then climbed over the table and jogged next to the Commander.

"Garrus, Tali, do you read?" Shepard continued "Garrus. Tali, Wrex, Liara, do you copy? Li do you copy?"

Walker looked at the Commander "Probably a jammer."

"I hope so."

Shepard took the assault rifle and sniper rife from the dead slaver, tossing the assault rifle to the lieutenant. They then traveled to the area where all the gunfire was happening. Walker stumbled to the ground. His assault rifle skittered froward a foot or so. He spat out some dirt then lifted his head forward to see a clearing in all the mist.

"My god. . ." He murmured to himself.

"Your supposed to step over the bodies, not trip over th-" Shepard paused. In front of them were hundreds of people, running, shooting, fighting, and falling.

"Holy shit." Shepard remarked. Several APC's darted across the battle, gunning down running workers. One blew up, fiery pieces scattered across the land.

"What do we do. . . Oh shit!" Walker blurted out as another explosion happened. Jason got up from the ground, grabbing his rife and stood holding it. Shepard held up her rife and zoomed in, she pulled the trigger, taking out a charging slaver off in the distance.

"We can't put a dent in them with just a designated marksman." He took a deep breath "shall we go reinforce?"

"I have a better idea. . ." She mentioned walking off to the slavers side of the battle. Walker raised his eyebrow at her trajectory.

"Our side's this way." He pointed.

"I know."

"What are you doing?!"

"You'll see."

Walker sighed, another under four letter word response. . . not good.

---------------------------

After sneaking into the back of the slaver's lines without raising alarm Shepard and Walker successfully went incognito. They strolled around looking for something of interest. The slaver's had gathered a lot of tents together to make some sort of base of operations. Around the camp Shepard saw various large barrels of aircraft fuel, the kind used for the giant planes that gather the eezo out of the atmosphere. According to her general knowledge of fuel, it should be rather explosive.

"Hey, what are you two skulking around the camp for?!" A batarian yelled from behind them. The two froze in mid stride then turned to face the slaver.

"I outta' have you sent to the front lines for this kind of behavior!" He scolded.

Walker quickly came up with something to say "You mean you didn't get the orders?" He questioned with an angry tone.

"What?" The slaver replied.

"You mean to tell me that you didn't get the orders specifically from the Lord that we would be doing an ammo sweep?!"

"Well, uh."

"Now I ought to have you sent to the front lines! Or worse!" Jason continued.

"But, I-I must've not read the ord-"

"I don't care weather you read them or not! We aren't running a day care for galactic degenerates! Now I suggest you get your men, gather these barrels and stock pile them in those tents!" He pointed at a group of tents closest to the HQ "Need I remind you what happens when the Lord doesn't get his way?!"

"N-n-no sir!" The batarian panicked and hurried off to go get some other slavers to pick up the barrels.

"You said you were a history teacher?" Shepard turned toward Walker.

"Correct." He simply put. Shepard went over to one of the barrels and took a grenade from her belt. She then tilted up the barrel and stuck it to the bottom. About ten slavers ran from the HQ and picked up the barrels, along with the armed one. About another fifteen scattered across the camp gathering some more. The two 'non-slavers' quickly walked away from the soon to be detonated gas barrels.

"I have no idea how big this is going to blow up. Just to be safe we should get the hell out of here before I press the button." Shepard instructed.

"Sounds good to me."

They quickly passed by groups of slavers, weaving in and out of the masses. The battle still raged on to the east. Passing tent after tent, and slaver after slaver they distanced themselves from the HQ.

"Hey! Where are you two going?" A slaver shouted.

"Let's hurry up. Go, go." Shepard pushed Jason ahead.

"Hey, wait! I'm talking to you!"

Shepard picked up her pace, turning to look at the slaver beaconing them. A few seconds later it appeared like they left him in the crowd. She sighed and turned her head to her front. Suddenly she rammed into someone in front of her. A little dazed by the impact she looked at the man she collided with. It was him. She gasped as she saw his face. The slaver's leader that had been wanting to capture her for thirteen years, stood mere inches from her face. His evil eyes still held the same grotesque power. His face the same that had haunted her forever. Without warning she drove her shoulder into his gut letting out a roar of hate as she tackled him. Crashing into tables, chairs, tents, and boxes before finally slamming into the ground. Shepard sat up on his waist and punched him repeatedly in the face. He then grabbed Shepard by the thighs and tossed her off of him. He stood up then walked over to Shepard as she got up from the ground. With a swift motion he tore an uppercut into her stomach knocking the wind out of her. As she gasped for air bent down he grabbed her head with his hands and crashed his metal knee into her face, the same knee she blew away on Elysium. The commander fell into a tent, bringing the fabric and metal rods with her. The slaver Lord stood in front of the tent.

"I see you've improved your hand to hand fighting since we last met." He smiled "It's a shame though. . . I was hoping for a repeat of last time. . ."

"I tend to get tired of the same old thing myself." She matched.

Not but a second after she said that she emerged from the broken tent brandishing a metal pipe. She swung it like a baseball bat bashing the slaver's side. He flinched and stepped back for a moment. With that she struck again, this time in his head. He fell to the floor semi-unconscious.

"Looks like you loose. . ." She grinned, with the same malice as the man she was about to slay. She wiped the blood from her lip and pointed the sharp end at him and prepared to lunge. A gun shot fired, Shepard braced herself with her left foot, she'd been shot in the same place as the last time she fought these slavers. Behind the Lord stood a batarian with a pistol held out.

"You indigent fool!" The slave lord yelled. He unsheathed his knife and threw it deep into the slaver's chest. He stood up and approached the dying batarian and pulled the knife from his body. Then he brought the slaver to the ground and began cutting away at his neck, the slaver screaming as he did so. Shepard Held her wound, the blood streaming down her pelvis and leg. Clenching her teeth together she knelt to the floor, trying to alleviate the pain. The slave lord stood up from his work, holding the batarian's head in his hand. Lord Venterius dropped the head while he cleaned the knife with his fingers.

"Now where were we. . . hmm, it would seem your at a disadvantage. . . well let's even the odds. . ." Venterius smiled. Shepard looked up at him with a vicious stare. He gripped his pistol and drew it, firing it down at Shepard. She let out a sharp yell as the bullet tore through her left thigh. She staggered to the ground, falling on her forearm. More of her crimson oozed to the ground, pooling around her knees. She panted heavily as she endured the horrible pain.

"Now you know I don't use guns. . . They're so, humane." He continued to talk but Shepard drowned out his useless words. How could she let this slaver kill her, after all the nights of having nightmares about him, and suffering. . . this is how it ends. This is how the last of the Shepard's dies, on her knees, in her own blood, by the same monster that slew the whole family. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening. She grasped the blood soaked ground she fell upon, angry at herself for being weak. A million thoughts raced through her mind, she focused on one in particular. Would she see her family again? Not even that soothed her rage. What would they think? She gasped at that thought, they probably despise her as mush as she does right now. A light dimly glowed in the center of her vision. It grew larger almost consuming her entire vision. A figure appeared in the light, almost like a man standing still, arms out to embrace her. Then she thought of the plan, what she and Walker were supposed to do. She grabbed for the detonation device. The man still stood in front of Shepard, waiting for something. She shot a quick grin at him.

"Fuck you." She smiled. Her thumb hit the button, a quick distance lag happened before finally, a huge explosion roared through the air. She came to her senses long enough to see Venterius look up in terror as the fire filled the sky. Finding the strength to get up and run she managed to escape the slaver undetected. Putting pressure on her wounds she ran toward the general area Jason did. She evaded death. . . for now.

* * *

**A/N: Couldn't help but put a Gears of War quote in there, I just had to . Followed by a Crank inspired part right at the end of the chapter, I love that movies style. Writing Chapter 14 in tandome with 13 so it'll be up pretty soon, provided this thundrstorm doesn't spawn a tornado and rip my house to bits.**


	14. Ninethorned rose

Stumbling through the barren waves in the land, Shepard continued to travel across the planet. It's been a good three and a half hours since she made her escape from the slaver camp. The smoke wasn't even visible on the horizon anymore. Sweat streamed down her face and neck. She collapsed upon the dirt, landing on her side. Nausea began to set in as the adrenaline faded and emotions took hold. Shaking madly after the hellish encounter with her greatest foe yet. Thinking about how lucky she was to make it out and the shock of fighting with the monster after thirteen long years. She fought the urge to vomit but failed. She spat in the dirt, getting rid of any residual taste. Dragging herself on the ground further away from the camp Shepard came upon a slope, unwavering she tumbled down it, doing whatever she could to distance the gap from her and that dreaded slaver. The medi-gel worked to stop the bleeding but the sickness of the radiation from the rounds remained. Shepard laid on her back holding her forehead, trying to resist the illness. Groaning in the turmoil she lifted herself to her feet and resumed walking. _Where did Walker go? _The Commander thought. Although she knew now she was traveling the wrong way. As long as that direction was anywhere but the camp it was alright.

"Normandy, do you read?" She moaned through the comm system "Joker. . . can you hear me?" Nothing came through, nothing but static. Shepard pumped her fist, angry with not getting any form of answer. While wondering how she was going to get out of this mess a stronger sound of static fizzed.

"Come in. This is Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy. . . -_moan- _I need assistance." She talked through the mic.

"-_static-_ . . . I ca- _-static-_ hear you. _-static then a loud click-_ Commander Shepard can you hear this message. This is the twenty-first Alliance Marines, first battalion." An assertive voice spoke loud and clear.

"Yes I hear you" She said calmly "Do you have a fix on my position?"

"We do have a weak signal coming from your hard-suit to our west."

Shepard closed her eyes with relief. She sat down on the ground to rest. Propping herself up with her arm she looked to her east. In the distance a small dot shown. She faintly smiled, glad to see her rescuers approaching.

---------------------------

The utility truck gently came to a stop next to Shepard. Two marines exited the vehicle. One from the passenger side of the truck and another from the top.

"Staff Sergeant Richard Thompson, this is Corporal Kayami Hashiro." They stood in front of Shepard. Without hesitation the two helped the Commander to her feet then walked her to the back of the truck.

"What's the Alliance doing here in full force?" Shepard questioned, feeling slightly better.

"Helping you out. We got a call from your ship requesting back-up. The question is, why aren't you on it?" Thompson forwarded.

"Had to do some negotiating at the slaver camp. . ." Shepard replied to his question.

"So that was you? No wonder you look like a mess. How did you do it all by yourself?"

"I had some help." Shepard said before hissing in pain as they placed her up on the truck's first floor ledge. The Staff Sergeant's palm was cover in blood as he removed it from the Spectre's side.

"One hell of a partner then. You managed to kill about seventy of them. Crippling their strike force and causing them to retreat from their assault on the Terra-forming center."

Shepard was surprised herself, she had no idea the disguised attack worked that well. Hashiro took a look at Shepard's vital signs, her face turned serious in expression. Silently she grabbed a foil packet containing two pills.

"You have radiation poisoning Commander. I need you to take these to cure it." Kayami said handing the two capsules to Shepard.

"What is it?" The Commander looked at the pills.

"Rad Away, well the capsule version. Works the same just takes a bit longer. Ones your done hop in the back and I'll fix the rest of you up." The Corporal added. She handed Shepard a canteen of water and jumped into the truck's covered bed. Shepard took the medication, then continued to drink some more water before scooting further back into the truck. Thompson nodded at the two then climbed up the ladder to the rest of his men.

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Darkness held superiority in this lightless place, nothing could be seen. With a growl from waking up Jason opened his eyes momentarily. To his shock he saw nothing, no vast greyness of the planet, no people, nothing. He stood up as fast as he could to get a sense of where he was. But he couldn't figure it out. Walker felt like he was in a building, in some sort of room. Suddenly he heard something breath, he wasn't alone. Waiting for the noise to happen again he braced himself. It stopped, whatever made that noise left, or merely waited. Walker's breathing hastened, nervous of being found, by who or what he didn't know. Slowly he extended his left arm to feel for a wall or a weapon. Instantly a light turned on, a small, dim lamp across the room from him. He made out the shape of a side of a chair and the table the light source sat upon. Further he examined to see something on the arm of the chair. The Lieutenant leaned closer toward the object to get a better view. He realized what it was, a human elbow.

"Who are you?" He spoke slowly with a hint of anger. The person didn't say a word, just sat there, watching him. All of a sudden Walker saw their eyes open, only faintly in the dark. Ominously the eyes fixed on his. The frightening experience continued as Walker stood still looking back.

"Speak." Jason again sounded. He still stood in the room eyeing this 'person' sitting in the chair.

"Sit down." A feminine voice announced. Walker moved slowly to his left, his leg bumping into another chair. He felt for the chair as he moved to it before slowly taking a seat. More lights turned on, blinding him. The Lieutenant Held out his arm in front of his eyes to block out the light. As he slowly adjusted to the illumination he looked up at the woman in the room with him. Vision returning to normal he began to see her face. With a gasp he realized who it was. The bounty hunter he chased on the Citadel.

"You. . ." Walker whispered. She looked sort of different than last time. Obviously she was wearing a dress instead of a hard-suit. But her hair, it was now a brilliant white with a slight blue tint. Her eyes were still the magnificent violet. The two looked at each other, inspecting the slight changes in one another.

"What do you want from me?" Jason asked.

"I thought you wanted to talk." She smirked.

"Is that why you captured me and stuck me in this room? How did you even capture me?!"

Her expression didn't change "You're better off not knowing."

"Who are you anyway?"

"I was going to ask you the same question." She moaned seductively. Her motives were unclear as to why she wanted to know Jason's identity.

"Let's keep this anonymous." Walker ruled "Who do you work for?"

"The people that you killed." She stated bluntly. Walker moved his jaw in concern, still looking the bounty hunter in the eye. This 'meeting' quickly escalated to more than just a talk.

"Why haven't you put a bullet in my head then?" Jason asked.

"I'm not getting paid to kill you. . ." She stated coldly. Then she lifted up a data pad from the table. "I'm after her." Jason eyed the picture, it was of Commander Shepard.

"I can't let you do that. . ." He stiffened in posture.

"I brought you here to talk, not to defend a woman that isn't here."

Jason squinted his eyes at the hunter's remark. The mercenary repositioned her legs to the other side. With a change of emotions she parted her lips and inhaled softly.

"My employer wants me to have you killed. Your lucky I'm not as brainwashed as his servants." Her eyes glared at Walker's "It would be a pity to kill someone who hasn't been here for very long."

"Wha- how do you-"

"It's simple, you have no existing records in any files or documents, except for the historical ones. You came from the past."

Walker's skin crawled at those words. Startled that someone else knew of this.

"You're a fool to think you were the only one to know of the gateway. How do you think Saren got a hold of it in the first place?" She dumped words on the Lieutenant.

"If your just a bounty hunter, how do you know all of this?"

The woman's eyes widened, she wasn't used to talking to someone with a sharp mind, let alone anyone at all. She took a pistol from between her and the arm of the chair then pointed it at Walker.

"I've told you too much. . ." She whispered to herself. The two sat still for what seemed like an eternity. The bounty hunter sifted through her thoughts then lowered her weapon.

"I've. . . never really spoke to someone before. . ." She softened. "It wouldn't hurt . . . to talk."

"I'm listening." Walker tuned into the woman's words. She didn't know how to really face this situation. No one ever wanted to talk to her before. The woman gave into what she wanted most but could never have, a chance to speak.

"Your probably wondering why I look the way I do. White hair, purple eyes, pale skin. I was a project, a proto-type being. One that can change the color of their features, to truly blend into ethnicity, cultures, crowds." the woman stood up from her seat and approached Jason. He stood up to meet her at eye level.

"I can match anyone's complection" She began to change her hair color to various shades then her eyes and skin. Walker's face looked concerned as he witnessed this phenomenon. Black, brown, red, blonde, her hair flashed. Her skin switched from different skin tones as well.

"I can even match your's. . ." the bounty hunter changed her hair to Jason's exact brown then her eyes to the unique hazel followed by the tan skin he achieved during his time in Iraq. Startled, Walker grew disturbed by the female version of himself. Then she turned to a beautiful blonde hair color followed by blue eyes and a light tan tone in skin. The Lieutenant's irises broadened, he recognized his wife in her.

"Stop!" He yelled, stepping back with his arm raised. The woman grinned with a hint of wickedness.

---------------------------

The truck pulled into the base of operations in front of the Terra-forming head quarters. Shepard climbed out of the back and viewed the area. The structure had multiple holes blasted in it from the slaver APC cannons and various large arms fire. The ground was littered with bodies, workers and slavers alike. The surviving workers began cleaning up the site and constructing defensive positions. Armed militia along with Alliance servicemen walked back and forth going to their assigned post. Wrex strode from the garage to meet Shepard.

"Everything alright? Where's Walker?" Wrex questioned.

"I thought he made it back here." She ignored the first group of words.

"No, he didn't. Come with me, we have some Intel to share with you." He turned and jogged back inside the garage, The Commander not far behind. Alliance troops suited up all around them along with their military vehicles. Morale quickly boosted inside Shepard, they weren't going to fight alone any longer. An Alliance APC roared out of the garage passing the Commander with force.

"Good to have you back Commander." An Alliance Marine saluted Shepard. She returned the salute whilst walking to the command post. Wrex opened the tent flap to a large tent for Shepard. Inside she was suddenly greeted to a large holo-map of the planet and all her squad around it. Then she noticed a man standing across from her.

"General-" She gasped.

"General Charlie Fletcher to be exact, I'll be assisting our forces on this planet." The General stated.

"Who's Commanding them?" Shepard question in disbelief.

"Well, you are Commander."

Shepard felt an immense feeling of power rush into her. Those words alone nearly knocked the wind from her lungs. She swallowed hard and stepped up to the map.

"The slavers are retreating to the west here. If they regroup we believe their going to launch another attack."

"I have an idea to deal with those routing slavers." Shepard said, bummed slightly that Walker wasn't here to hear the phrase again. "Joker, we need to load the Normandy with whatever barrels of fuel that we can. We're going on a bombing run."

"Uh. . . Roger that Commander, setting her down." Joker hesitated in confusion.

She turned her attention back to the group in the tent "I need to have as many of those utility trucks in the front of this garage ASAP. If we mount up and launch a counter offensive before they recover from their loss we could drive them from this planet "

"I like it. We'll arrange that right away." General Fletcher confirmed.

Li turned to the commander with his eyes stricken with concern. "My workers need to stabilize the atmosphere before it's too late. Inside those trucks are Artificial Stabilization Pylons that solidify the atmosphere, until we can set up the real ecosystem. You cant use those."

"Then we will escort your trucks. I want eight Marines on every truck and any APCs you can muster around them. We need to make a column to get those trucks through the slaver occupied territory." Shepard ordered.

"Six truck loads scattered around that plain will work, since it's in the upper hemisphere the gasses should trickle down quicker. Seeing that we don't have time on our side that we would under normal circumstances, that should insure a full stabilization. We only have enough for ten points, so protect them carefully." Li informed.

"Ok, here will be Utah, Pointe Du Hoc, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword." She pointed to various places on the map. "My squad and I will be riding on the truck destined for Pointe Du Hoc."

"It will take us a few hours to load. So I suggest you jump on that 'idea' of yours Commander. We leave in 0400 hours." General Fletcher stated.

"You'll see me before then General." Shepard spoke before exiting the tent. Marines hustled around getting ready for the invasion upon the slaver controlled area. A worker and an Alliance Marine held onto opposite ends of a large ammo box, bringing it toward the line of trucks. Shepard slid through the people around her making headway toward the Normandy outside the garage opening. More Alliance personnel stood in a line into the Normandy's cargo bay, passing fuel barrels to the one next to them. The Commander jogged next to a Marine that was having trouble lifting the barrel into the bay. She gripped onto the barrel and helped the Marine pick it up and move it up the ramp.

"Thanks, had a bit of a hard time with this one." The Marine said raising his head over the top of the metal cylinder.

"Don't mention it. I feel entitled to help load my ship." Shepard welcomed before handing the object to the next set of Marines in the cargo bay. "Commander Shepard." She greeted holding out her now free hand.

"Private Anthony Crice." He said shaking the Commander's hand. They shuffled down the ramp to haul another barrel.

---------------------------

With the last fuel canister in, everyone moved out of the Normandy and to the base of the ramp. A line about five feet wide was left in the middle of the barrels for whoever was the designated the bombardier. About three hundred barrels were squeezed into the hold, ready to be thrown out of the back.

"What are those barrels for anyway?" Crice questioned with his hands on his hips.

"Bombs." Shepard answered leaning to one side.

"That vessel is not outfitted to be a bomber."

"I know. I'm going to have to throw each one out by hand."

"Wow, I feel sorry for you already. Just thinking about that makes my arms hurt."

Shepard sighed then turned toward the Private "Thanks for your help."

"No problem." Crice acknowledged "Hope your crazy idea works out alright." He then walked off toward the trucks being prepped for the assault. Shepard stepped up the ramp to check the munition.

"Garrus I need you in the Normandy, now." She radioed.

"Looking forward to being apart of your 'idea' commander." Garrus called back. Shepard took a deep breath, not knowing the outcome of this sortie. She spotted the turian running from the command center to the ship. In little time he jogged up the ramp and in front of Shepard, his eyes on the cargo.

"Well. . . that's . . . unconventional." He blurted.

"I thought you liked that kind of stuff?"

"I never said I didn't like these. . . bombs. Very creative, I often envy your resourcefulness." Garrus praised.

"Hate to interrupt any idle chit-chat but those slaver's aren't going to obliterate themselves." Joker inserted.

"Bring us right over their heads." Shepard gave the words to commence the bombing run.

"I'll ease her in nice and slow Commander, wouldn't want an unstable dropping platform."

The ramp closed and the Normandy slowly lifted from the ground. The vessel lurched forward for a split second, the barrels rattled and clanked into one another, causing an eerie sloshing sound.

"Uh, Joker. A little easier please. You almost triggered a premature detonation. . ." Shepard said cautiously.

"Ease up on the easing, gottcha'." He replied.

The Normandy flew higher and higher gently making it's way toward the target. Several minutes of flying they had almost caught up to the slaver force.

"Will these barrels detonate on impact?" Garrus spoke.

"This fuel is very volatile. Shaking it would be enough to prime it for an explosion, and I'm afraid we already did the shaking part."

The turian's mandibles flapped slightly, nervous at the conditions. The two crew members walked around the barrels preparing for the drop.

"ETA four minutes" Joker informed.

Shepard and Garrus made their way to the rear of the bay. Back to back they stood to their respective sides. The grey cylinders stood side by side, not looking even moderately deadly.

"We don't have any lines to keep us in the ship. So if the barrels start do go, just let them go." Shepard instructed.

"And if they don't?"

"Make them."

The ramp silently separated from the ceiling, a bright line appeared as light beamed in. The wind roared making a deafening sound.

"Here we go. When the ramp folds out start releasing the barrels." Joker again spoke over the comm system. The ramp was now three quarters from open. The blue sky could be clearly seen through the opening. Then half way open, the ground off in the distance now showed. Shepard spread her feet apart, bracing for the pushing. The ramp now bent less than a ninety degree angle, ready for use.

"Now!" Shepard yelled. With a great force she hurled a barrel to the ramp. It wobbled on it's sides from the impact then rolled the rest of the way before sinking from sight. Another barrel made it's way down followed by another, then another, and another. On Garrus' side the far end of the barrels began to slip then spill off the ramp. He shrugged slightly, feeling gifted by his luck. With half of his stack already gone he heaved more off the edge. Soft thumps could be heard from the cargo bay, the barrels were exploding. Shepard move to her left, trying to get rid of the second row before advancing. It would be suicide to venture in front of all the barrels. Again and again she threw the fuel tanks to the deck, each one rolling off. With the second row done she looked for a better way to dispense. The Commander ran behind the group of her barrels and rammed her shoulder into the back of a row. With no success she tried again, her right shoulder crashing into the grey wall. They finally gave way and began sliding in single file. To tired at the moment she flipped over and placed her right foot on the forth row and pushed hard. She kicked it repeatedly before she kicked again and missed, the row had slid away. Getting to her feet Shepard placed her hands on the fifth row and leaned with all her might. One by one the bombs fell off the ledge. She walked with the line, making sure that each one made it off. Garrus finished the last of his and turned around to help his Commander. The sixth row Garrus placed his foot on the top of the first barrel and pushed. With his powerful turian legs the row stood no match and quickly disappeared. Commander Shepard stepped to the front of seventh and final row and picked up the barrel and swung it off the deck. Garrus again placed his foot on the barrel behind the rest and kicked, forcing them to bellow out of the rear of the Normandy. Garrus looked at the Commander who had her arms propped on her knees bent down and panting heavily.

"How -_breaths_- was that?" She huffed.

"Not too bad." He said, not even slightly winded from the ordeal. She rolled her eyes at the turian, jealous of his endurance and stamina, not knowing of the five rows automatically falling off. The barrels had hit right in the middle of the grouping of slavers and fell on top of them all the way to the first ranks, decimating their numbers. Nothing but a giant black, charred, cratered mark the size of a football field was visible from the air.

"Let's head back. We need to prepare for the invasion." Shepard ordered with a hint of fatigue in her voice. Garrus stood still watching the cargo ramp elevate to it's closed state in silence.

"What's wrong?" The Commander inquired.

"I. . . I'm not used to being responsible for so many non-synthetic deaths."

"These aren't people, their monsters, nothing more. They brought this upon themselves, and deserve every ounce of it. I'd slaughter ten times as many if given the chance."

Again Garrus' mandibles flapped again, resentful, but still agreeing with his Commander's words 'Nothing but monsters.'

---------------------------

Jason stared at the bounty hunter with a piercing gaze.

"He raised you?!" He blurted, eyes still fierce with shock.

"Yes, I'm his 'daughter'." The bounty hunter replied.

"Do you have a name then?"

"E-161 is my true name. He calls me. . . His white Rose." She admitted. Walker stood silent looking into the woman's eyes. She looked back, her eyes fiery as well, her violet orbs drew Walker in. He closed his eyes quickly, looking away, shutting out the temptations.

"What's wrong?" She questioned his actions in a suggestive mood. Rose approached walker slowly with soft steps. Jason's jaw muscles flexed as she came near, uncomfortable at the situation. She lifted her palm to cradle the Lieutenant's chin. Turning his head to her face she gently forced him to watch her. The bounty hunter's lips peeled back to grin flirtatiously at the man in her grasp. Walker's expression shot to anger as he brushed the woman's hand from his face. He hastened to the door and walked out. This new room was a kitchen with a dinning area off to the left, all lavishly decorated and accented by beautiful metal features. He was trapped in this place, no were to go. Walker turned around to face Rose approaching him ever gently, stalking him like a wolf and her quarry. He balled his fist tensely trying to stop everything. _You have a wife dammit! Don't let this happen, what would she say? What if she found out? What would you do? Your better than this Jason, your not like this._ He fought his instinctive urge. . . But it's been so long. The bounty hunter was now no less than a foot away. She rested her left hand on Walker's chest then shot him a seducing glare. Jason swallowed hard, fighting everything human within himself. Rose pressed her body against Walker's, leaning into him. Hesitantly he stumbled back attempting to back off. He climbed backwards into two chairs then his back hit the bar with an unexpected thud. A feeling of dread and uncertainty flooded inside him. The beautiful red and gold dress draped upon the Lieutenant's legs and lap, fluttering gently by the wearers movement. Softly her lips met with his, Walker's eyes widened in surprise. It's been so long since he ever kissed or felt a woman. Her gorgeous, delicate, violet lips continued to rest upon his, It felt so good. Succumbing to this temptation he embraced the woman, conscience gave way to desire. Rose smiled as she experienced the change in Jason. She progressed to get rough, biting and pulling on the Lieutenant's bottom lip. She felt the bristles on his chin and cheeks scratching her, she didn't mind the sting. Jason returned the favor. She lifted her head above his and looked down in his eyes, smiling even more. The deep purple irises of the woman glistened in the dim light. She rested her forearms on Walker's shoulders and resumed. Jason grinned and put his arms around her thighs and lifted her up, the dress glided effortlessly on her smooth skin. She tugged on his lip even harder trying to provoke him. Walker slammed her back against the wall, she let out a cry of pleasure. Bitting her lip, Rose put her hands on Jason's head, felling his short brown hair. Furiously they kissed, growing in intimacy. The bounty hunter lowered her hands behind Walker's back pressing a few buttons to release his hard-suit. She wrapped her strong dexterous legs around Jason, hardly noticing the depressurizing of the suit. She rubbed her body against his then began to unfasten the suit. Walker pinned her to the wall with his powerful chest and took various pieces of equipment off his belt. Rose slipped her shoulder out of her dress then kicked off one of her high heels. They gasped slightly for air, enduring each other. A single drop of sweat streamed down the woman's neck.


	15. Complicated problems

**A/N: I finally got this chapter off my old hard drive, what a pain in the back side it is to retrieve documents from a broken computer's HD. Had to connect it to this PC but there was a safety lock on the HD so I pretty much had to use 'hax' to get my documents out. From now on I'm using a flash drive to store these chapters. . . anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Sitting on the side of the wall of the terra-forming center, Shepard stared at the grey dirt. She tilted her head up, resting it on the wall while watching the sky, utterly worn out. Closing her eyes she wanted this all to end, she can't continue on like this.

"You should have listened. . ." She whispered to herself, remembering what Kaidan said. Rumbling sounds continued to bellow from behind her location, none of it seemed to matter. She quickly opened her eyes, remembering something else. Her hand fell to her side as she took something from her belt. A light grey cylindrical object was clasped in her hand. Opening the lid she poured out the contents of the container. Two blue pills sat in the palm of Shepard's hand. With a single motion she put the pills in her mouth. Tumbling them a few times with her tongue before swallowing them. She placed the cylinder back on her belt then looked up into the sky once more. A giant black aircraft slowly moved across the blue canvas. The terra-former's had already began work on syphoning the eezo from the atmosphere. The behemoth continued on, undaunted by the troubles on the ground. It was massive in size, almost as big as a state. It's shadow blocked out the sun like a blanket of storm clouds. Surprisingly it was absolutely quiet, not even a jet engine could be heard. It's sheer size threatened even Shepard herself. Tearing her eyes from the ominous aircraft she looked back at the ground. She worried about Walker, what happened to him? Shepard lifted herself up, she'll have to worry about that later. She paced slowly toward the trucks for the last minute preparation until the invasion began. An eerie feeling lapsed her conscience, everything was frighteningly quiet, even the roars of the engines ruthlessly hushed. Air escaped her lips briefly, this is it. The thought of death swooped into her mind, she had already escaped with her life several times. How could she possibly continue doing so. Off in her own world she drifted past countless numbers of people and vehicles, not noticing a single one._ How much longer do I have? Who's going to take over when I'm . . .gone? What will happen? What about the Reapers?_ She thought as she continued down her lonely path, her only path.

---------------------------

Walker was seated down at the table, arms folded with a serious look about him. He wondered about what happened to Shepard, if she regrouped with the shore party, or even made it out at all. His eyes darted across the surface of the table. The bounty hunter walked out of the bed room, dressed in her trademark black hard-suit. She briskly strode over to Jason.

"You still have energy to think?" She smirked.

"My Commander's out there, somewhere, and I need to help her." Walker replied.

"Hmm. . . this will probably surprise you then." She pressed a button on her belt and the window behind the Lieutenant started to open. He turned around, his eyes wide open. Outside the window was the same grey wash crust of planet TF-14. The giant aircraft could be seen commanding the sky, with ten utility trucks stationed below. Hundreds of personnel littered the ground as well.

"We're on the top floor of the terra-forming center . . ." He said in disbelief.

"Actually the building is call Union of Charity. This is the Terra-forming director's private quarters. I thought you might want a dose of revenge on him, and what better way than to mess it up before he even set foot in it." She laughed slightly, recalling the moment. "Although I'd say the dresser was a bit much. . ."

Jason stood up from the table "We need to get down there. They're planning something."

"We?" She questioned, grinning "I have no part in 'your' invasion."

"Invasion?!" Walker looked her in the eyes.

"You fail to realize that I was born to gather information."

"Your much more than you let on, Rose. . ."

"Much more. . ." She again smiled. "As for me, I have business with the opposite side of this battle."

"What? Your still going to fight along side those slavers?!" He yelled.

"Your sides not paying me." Rose then walked slowly toward the door. Jason ran around the table then in front of the exit.

"_-sigh-_ I'm going to miss your company, Lieutenant." The bounty hunter spoke softly with truth.

Walker growled at her statement. She bent forward and placed a single kiss upon his lips. The kiss was poison to the Lieutenant, nothing more than salt on the wound.

"Your tied to this fight stronger than you realize." She brushed Walker aside then passed through the sliding door. Jason let out an angered breath then turned to exit the suite.

---------------------------

In the medical bay aboard the Normandy, Doctor Chakwas sifted through her countless amounts of e-mail. Suddenly she stumbled upon an e-mail written from Dr. Chloe Michel. She scanned through the letter.

_To Chief Medical Officer of the SSV Normandy, Doctor Chakwas._

_I have some interesting data on one of your crew members aboard the Normandy. This blood work shows several points of interest you should take a look at and compare to that of the Commander of your ship. Data listed below._

_-Various graphs and DNA strands-_

Intrigued, the doctor wrestled a data-pad from her drawer. With a few finger strokes she pulled up Commander Shepard's medical file. She then dragged the file from the email on her computer to the data-pads screen. Chakwas Wove her eyes from side to side, analyzing the data. Then she viewed the DNA information between the two files. Her pupils dilated at the sight of the correlation.

"My god. . ." She gasped, holding her hand in front of her mouth. Hastily she stood from her desk, grabbed the data-pad, and headed to the second in command, Executive Officer Pressly. She traveled through the mess then up the stairs, looking around cautiously. The door slid open and there stood the Officer.

"Navigator Pressly?" She inquired.

"Yes? Doctor?" He responded, wondering why she was up on the command deck.

"I have something, urgent, to show you. Mind stepping into the Comm room?"

"Not at all." Pressly then followed Doctor Chakwas. With a raised eyebrow Joker over heard the commotion whilst on his way back to the helm of the ship after going to the restroom. As the door slid shut and locked Joker slowly rested one of his crutches on the wall then placed his ear on the door.

"Here have a look at this." The doctor handed Pressly the data-pad.

"DNA?" He questioned.

"Not just DNA but Commander Shepard's DNA. On this end, is a sample of DNA for Doctor Chloe Michel's office. It was taken from the Marine who boarded our ship when we went through that time warp."

"What are you saying?" Pressly asked, confused.

"What this means, this means that Commander Shepard and Lieutenant Walker are related!" The doctor exclaimed in a whisper.

"Are you sure Doctor?"

"Here, have a look." She handed the data-pad to the XO. He scanned it spotting out the matches.

"My word. . ." Pressly whispered. Joker's jaw dropped, how the hell is this possible. He felt the urge to tell the Commander that she had a living family member, but he didn't know how she wold react to the news. Even though she always denies it, that's still a very touchy subject to talk about. Joker cringed, here he was, lower than dirt for spying on the Commander's business again. He heard the two walking to the door and quickly grabbed his crutch and attempted to make his escape. His leg landed slightly off balance and with a hiss he took the pain. The Doctor and Pressly walked out of the doorway then toward Joker. He tried the best he could to cover up the pain, slightly baring his teeth every now and then.

"Are you alright?" The Executive Officer put his hand on Joker's back and bent down to meet his face.

"Ye-ah. . . I'm good. . . it's good. It's all good. -Erm!. . ." Joker stumbled for words.

"Here, let's take you down to sick bay." Chakwas said as she appeared to the right of him.

"No no no. I'm fine, trust me. Stairs aren't the best thing for me right this moment. . . I'll just go back to my sanctuary." Joker hobbled off toward the pilots seat. Pressly and Chakwas looked at each other and shrugged, what a strange kid.

---------------------------

Biting down on her teeth, Shepard mentally readied herself for the push to Pointe Du Hoc. She turned one more time out to the barren wastes, hoping to spot Lieutenant Walker. No one could be seen out in the distance. Morale sank in the Commander, the only person on this planet that lifted her spirts had vanished. Shepard slowly climbed the ladder up to the second level of the truck. Upon reaching the top she saw all her squad members. Wrex, Garrus, Liara, and Tali all sat along the benches.

"About time you showed up, Shepard." Wrex welcomed, not so much welcoming as it was longing for combat. Shepard slightly nodded her head at the krogan.

"We figured five of us would be enough to protect one vehicle." Garrus mentioned.

"Five Specially trained, specially skilled, and highly adaptable individuals. Yeah, we should be enough." Shepard grinned. The engines started one by one in the utility trucks. APCs formed a perimeter around the cluster of trucks. It was an astonishing spectacle, seeing so many personnel ready to fight, along with the sounds and the smell of the fumes. An almost crisp, sharp feeling occupied the souls of everyone involved. The tension in the air was palpable, the taste of bitterness hung in the oxygen of every breath.

"This is Commander Shepard." She addressed every Marine assigned to the mission "I will be in Command of this mission and will accompany you all into battle. You have been assigned call signs according to which point you will be headed to. Now I ask that each team leader state what call sign they have had assigned to them."

"Alpha team leader here." A Marine started.

"Bravo team leader reporting."

"Charlie team leader. Standing by."

"Delta team leader, ready and able."

"Echo team leader, signing in." Shepard called.

"Foxtrot team lead, awaiting orders."

"Golf team leader ready and waiting."

"Hotel team leader acknowledged."

"India team leader sounding off."

"Juliet team leader, locked and loaded."

"The mission is a go. I repeat, the mission is a go." Shepard spoke clearly through her microphone. After that the trucks lurched forward, starting from Alpha and ending in Juliet.

---------------------------

"You've got to be kidding me. . ." Walker sighed as he witnessed the trucks slowly start their way toward the designated objectives. He began sprinting for the nearest truck as fast as he could. The closest utility vehicle hadn't started moving until he gained within ten yards of it.

"Son of a bitch!" He scorned. Walker picked up the pace even faster. He managed to get right next to the truck's ladder. As he held out his hand about to catch the metal peg his endurance gave way. He slowed down then came to a stop gasping in frustration and fatigue. Off to the right he heard another truck coming. Jason snapped his head up and began running parallel to it.

"Slow down! Wait!" Walker waved his arms next to the hulking machine to no avail. He slowed down a bit and turned toward the truck's rear end. As it passed the Lieutenant picked up the speed and with a final effort dove toward the ladder, catching one of the rungs. His legs dangled under him, with feet dragging on the ground. With a growl of effort he advanced up the ladder. Unexpectedly a hand lower to offer him some help. Walker grabbed hold and was pulled aboard the truck.

"Fancy bit of foot work mate." An Australian accented Marine commented.

Jason gasped for air "Thanks. -_deep breaths_- I didn't think anyone saw me."

"Are you kidding? How would anyone miss a bloke runnin' along side them like that?"

Jason shrugged still breathing heavily.

"Anyway, Sergeant Blake Redford, and you are?"

"Lieutenant Jason Walker."

"A Lieutenant running like that?! By golly I figured you were some poor Private! I mean you were full on!" He exclaimed.

"I get my exercise in here and there." Jason kidded back.

"Ha! At least you're a good sport about it. Anyway, welcome to Golf squad." Sergeant Redford saluted. Walker quickly returned the salute, wanting to focus on catching his breath. Jason peered up for a brief moment, the armored column was now well underway to the heart of the enemy.

---------------------------

With a sigh of relief Shepard sat down on the bench to her left. Glad everything went as planned so far. The sound of tires crushing dirt and engines humming covered every other sound. A vast plain of grey land surrounded the vehicles. Unwavering the division pressed on, slicing through the open terrain. The dark aircraft could still be seen in the sky, it too steadfast in it's heading.

"Shepard." Lilihierax's voice came over the comm system.

"Yes, Li. What is it?" Shepard answered.

"I'll be driving your squad to your destination."

Shepard looked around with her eyes. "This is a military operation, you shouldn't be here."

"Not just me, every driver in these trucks. You need all the help you can get, and we're more than happy to help."

Shepard let in a deep breath, proud of Li and his crews determination to help resolve the situation.

"Anyway, Shepard." Li continued "In a half an hour or so the weather's supposed to get ugly. Standard humidifying side effect. Hope you don't mind getting wet up there."

"We'll manage. What's our ETA?" Shepard questioned.

"We are all in for a long one, I'm not going to lie. If all goes accordingly, which I doubt, we'll get there after nightfall." The turian informed.

"I wasn't expecting this to be anything easy. Keep me informed."

"Gottcha'."

The Commander shifted her posture forward, mentally preparing for the 'road trip'.

"Long rides, no combat. I hate this mission already." Wrex stated bluntly.

"You'll get your fix soon enough. These slavers aren't going to just let us roll into their territory without a fight." Garrus replied.

"Good. I wouldn't want to disappoint."

"Speak for yourself. I don't quite have this 'war' thing figured out yet." Liara interrupted.

Wrex looked at Liara "Just cower in the corner, or whatever you asari usually do. I'll be more than happy to take your kills." The asari swallowed nervously, uncomfortable by the krogans eagerness to kill.

"I wonder how they build those things . . ." Tali said subconsciously as she looked up at the aircraft above them. "It's so massive. . ."

"Probably in space close to the planet. Only sensible way I can think of." Garrus answered. The squad looked around, scanning the scenery. Clouds drifted slowly to the east, growing darker as time allowed them. Shepard relaxed a bit, the consistency of sounds aided her in doing so. Every second came closer and closer to chaos, and she knew it. Shepard tensed up again, knowing full well what would happen in the battle ahead. Slavers don't fight by the rules, no one knew this better than the Commander herself. They'll bend and twist any situation to favor them, whether it be by throwing slaves into combat, shielding behind civilians, gruesome acts to demoralize and intimidate, unconventional weaponry, planting neural implants into their enemy's troops causing the other side to fight their own friends and comrades, anything. Most notably would be ordering the slaughter of a nearby settlement to demonstrate their brutality and savagery, usually by burning them so the civilians bodies would contort and lock into place, capturing their last facial expression of agony and torment. Shepard bit her teeth together, recalling the images and sounds. Suddenly liquid dropped from the air onto the convoy. A startling feeling of cold wetness rattled Shepard out of thought.

"Ah. . . Here comes the rain. . ." Wrex muttered. Garrus took off his eye visor and attached it to his belt. Tali held out her hand, felling the strange miracle. Before Shepard realized the deck of the truck was completely saturated and run-off water spilled off into the roaring wind that passed the vehicle. Her hair was now completely soaked, the water ran down her face. She looked straight up to the clouds, the dark grey hung over head. Rain drops fell into her eyes and on her lips, she let some escape into her mouth, the taste was sweet. Shepard closed her eyes, the water fell down her cheeks, as if they were tears. She looked back down at her squad, soaking up their emotions. Wrex sat still, premeditating the battle ahead. Garrus slowly looked forward eyeing things that went by, his head bobbing up and down with the tires. Tali examined the rain on her suit, observing the spectacle she's never experienced. Liara glanced around at her companions, studying their emotions as well, trying to grasp the way they dealt with reality before combat. The asari then looked at her Commander, her face turned to a concerned expression before getting up and walking to Shepard. Liara gently sat to the right of Shepard, her eyes fixed on her's.

"What's wrong Commander?" Liara questioned.

"We're headed into a war zone." Shepard dully said.

"You do not have the same expression as those around you Commander. You are not thinking about what's ahead."

Shepard paused ". . . You're right, Liara. I'm not." She admitted.

"Then what is it that you are thinking about?"

"Problems."

"Problems? What kind of problems?"

"Complicated ones." Shepard spoke.

Liara sighed "I may be an asari but I can't read minds Shepard. My intuition is as human as your's, I only know what is presented to me. If you have problems we can help you. We're not just your subordinates, we are your friends."

"This is something I have to finish myself, I have to do this on my own. I've put the crew through enough already."

---------------------------

"Rain and long drives. Doesn't get much more boring than this." Sergeant Redford groaned.

"Better than being shot at." Lieutenant Walker stated.

"Fair enough. Probably wished you packed a helmet though."

Walker nodded as the rain continued to pour. The seven Marines around him all had their helmets on, heads dry from the rain.

"I reckon you came ill prepared for the mission. At least you remembered to bring your gun along with ya'."

"Wouldn't be much use if I hadn't."

"Unless you throw a mean curve ball." Redford turned to another one of his squad members "What's our ETA- -_explosion- _Bloody Hell!-" He ducked as an explosion catapulted dirt from the ground over the truck. The squad looked around frantically searching for the source of the fire.

"This is Golf! We are under enemy fire I repeat -_another explosion- _enemy fire!" The Sergeant roared over the radio.

"Eye's up enemy mortars!" Walker yelled to his new squad as another shell whistled down. The shell went off several yards from the truck's tire, more mud splattered over the Marines.

"Understood Golf. Mortar positions are raining hell on us too. APC's have been sent to hunt them down." The Commander informed.

"Shepard. . . ?" Walker whispered in disbelief as he heard her voice over his ear piece.

"Where are you being hit from?" An APC driver questioned.

"From the east! The east!" Redford called out as more explosions shook the team.

"Dammit! Incoming!" Lieutenant Walker again yelled as two explosions simultaneously went off. The squad had now gotten off their seats and ducked as low as they could to the floor. Wet dirt pelted everyone's back as the explosions continued. Off in the distance three APCs rolled across the plain then over the surrounding hills, out of sight. A loud whistle screeched above Golf squad before something slammed into the deck of the truck. A loud metal on metal clank blasted everyone's ear drums. Walker and Redford's eyes widened as they noticed what it was. A large shell rolled back and forth as the team stared at it, then back at each other, mouths wide open, shocked. One of the squad members grasped it with his hand them heaved it off the truck. It tumbled over and over in the air before being lodged in the mud, then exploded like the rest. The squad eyed the member that threw the shell off, amazed still. A few more mortar shells went off before finally silencing in the rain.

"Mortar positions pacified." The APC group confirmed.

"Nice job. Mortar fire has ceased. Rejoin the caravan." Shepard ordered.

"Roger that, rejoining- Wait- scratch that! Enemy armor coming your way! Attempting to intercept."

From the east, eight enemy APCs barreled toward the column.

"Weapons ready men! We're in for a fight!" Redford exclaimed. The squad took the rifles from their hardpoints and shouldered them toward the APCs. The vehicles let loose all they had on the trucks, first blasting with mass accelerator cannon fire followed by coaxal machine gun rounds. The shells fell short on their intended target but the machine gun rounds dotted the sides of the trucks.

"Fire!" Redford ordered. The assault rifles opened fire on the group of enemy vehicles, doing small amounts of damage to their hulls. Suddenly the furthest APC on the left took a hit from an allied cannon and spun rear forward before lifting into chaotic barrel rolls, metal sheering off from the large cannon damage. One vehicle now swooped alongside Golf's truck, turning it's turret slowly toward the truck's side.

"Destroy it before it fires!" Redford pointed down at the APC. The whole squad stepped to the trucks left railing then took a grenade off their belts. The Marine next to Jason, the one who threw the mortar shell off the truck, handed Walker a grenade and nodded. With one quick effort the squad hurled their grenades on the vehicles side near the wheels and detonated. Three wheels ripped off the APC, followed by armored plates, then it careened to the left in a wide turn and rolled several times in a ball of fire. The rest of the APC escorts met the enemy force and fired upon them. The three other allied vehicles swooped in from the front of the cravan and pounded the enemy as well.

"Keep the fire up!" The Sergeant motioned at the enemy APCs. Walker brought his cheek to the stock of his weapon. He targeted the front of the closest vehicle to the truck. Then an explosion launched a wheel across the sight of Golf squad before falling in the way of Hotel's truck. The truck slammed into the wheel with it's bumper, ramming it out of the way.

"Blimey! That was one of ours!" Redford sighted.

"Keep hittin' em'! Keep hittin' em'!" Walker yelled at the squad. Bullets volleyed over the railing. An enemy APC blew up by a cannon round from one of the Alliance APCs, then another. Four enemies remained next to the truck column. Fire from the two trucks to the front and back of Golf's pelted the enemy.

"Watch out!" A squad member yelled, pulling the Marine next to him down. Redford and Walker jumped for cover along with the rest of the group. With a loud boom a 155mm shell tore through the left side of the truck. The suspension rocked violently to the left and right as the truck recovered from the blow. The middle of the railing was ripped in half, both ends bowed out with the top part of the lower wall blown away.

Sergeant Redford peered over to assess the damage "Hell! That was too close! Few inches down our pylons would have been lost."

"Sergeant!" One of the Marines yelled. As he did Redford turned his head, practically staring into the barrel of the APC. He tucked his head behind what was left of the wall a spilt second before machine gun fire blasted through the gap. Walker pulled his legs into his chest, trying not to get shot, his hands over his ears to cover his head. Bullets screamed upward over the deck, their blue tracers horrifyingly noticeable. The bullets sparked off the metal as the turret blindly shot.

"Nasty blighta' isn't he?" Redford spoke while fingering a grenade off his belt. The firing stopped just enough for the Sergeant to lean out of cover and throw a grenade on the front tire. He turned back behind the wall and detonated the explosive. Walker heard the explosive only to look up and see the vehicle somersaulting over him. Eyes wide open he rolled to the right side of the truck's floor. The APC's front end crushed down on the side, snagged on the tangled mess that was left of the railing. The team stood up to view the APC clinging on the side of their transport. The Sergeant moved in front of the vehicle looking into the glass slits that were on the top of the truck. The team readied their guns at the windows. Redford stepped next to the slits, armed with his shotgun. He slammed the butt of his gun into the glass but had no effect. He stepped back then with his left hand holding the shotgun he shot the glass out. Inside where the slaver's that drove the APC. Golf squad stood in a quarter-circle around the cockpit's window and opened fire on the slavers inside. After an adequate amount of fire was sprayed into the inside of the APC Walker stepped over to the end of the truck and motioned for the utility truck behind them to move over to their right. Hotel's vehicle began sliding over. Jason turned back to the APC and helped push it. The men pushed with all their might before the APC started to give way. Then the squad took turns kicking the mass of metal off. With one final effort the vehicle slid off, tumbling with extreme force away from Golf's truck. It ground into the mud with it's turret then rolled. After the husk passed Hotel's truck they began to slide back into position.

"Whew. I call that a day. Nice job golf." Redford praised. The team nodded in content, some gave each other high-fives while two others fist bumped. Redford turned and held out a hand to Jason.

"Good job Lieutenant, not so bad in your combat as well." He acknowledge as they shook hands.

"Thank you Sergeant. Glad I didn't pick the desk." Walker smirked.

The armored escorts managed to wipe out the remaining APC's. The landscape grew darker as the combat diluted, the Marines were losing daylight. It was now clear that they where going to have to fight for every mile all the way to the objective, at night in the rain no less.


	16. Stone resolve

"Why do you insist on toying with them!" Lord Venterius roared "Need I remind you of the consequences of failure?"

"No Father." Rose said softly.

"Then why do you disobey me? The one that brought you into this world. Why must you torment me with your insubordination when I clearly, of all people, least deserve it."

Rose stood silent, wading through her father's lies. Venterius scowled at her silence then rushed in front of her, forcefully pressing his hands around her head.

"Listen to me! I made you and I can snuff your life out quicker than a beat of the heart in your chest!" He hissed in a whisper, staring in her eyes violently as he did. "Fail me again and I'll see to it personally that you endure so much agony that you wont even be able to breath a single breath without death's pain raking at your very soul!" Lord Venterius whispered again in seething ferocity. His wicked eyes pierced Rose's before he threw her to the ground in discontent.

He turned his back on his daughter, closing his eyes and tilting his head up, brushing off his rage. For a moment the room echoed silence then Rose's father spoke. "Now leave me, return alive and victorious or as a slain corpse. . ."

Rose lifted herself from the floor and made her way out of the room, hand on her hip. A man walked past the bounty hunter and stood at attention behind his leader.

"My lord." He addressed.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Our forces are stationed on the canyon walls, although they request more support due to the destruction of their armored personnel carriers." The man paused for a moment, waiting on his lord's response.

"Cut communications." The slaver lord answered.

The man blinked and swallowed hard, surprised by Venterius' cold order.

"Once they activate the trap launch the other battle group. Shoot any survivor's of the previous battle group on site."

"B-but my lord, the Spectre is with the caravan. We could use those men." He stuttered hesitantly.

"Is she now. . ." Lord Venterius smirked "Arrange for me a flight with the second wave. Prepare the 'cargo' as well." He then stepped down from the viewing platform and passed his subordinate.

"Yes, my lord."

"You." The slaver leader pointed at another officer "Collect those orders. Once your done, kill him."

"It will be done." The officer stated calmly. Venterius strode out of the room then down a white metallic corridor, the same path used by his daughter moments earlier. As the second door shut behind him a muffled gun shot fired with a blank thud.

---------------------------

It was now nightfall, darkness engulfed everything. Not even the person next to Shepard could be seen. The trucks traveled continuously into the unknown. The silence of the night, haunting. Only distant flickers of lightning illuminated the surroundings. Shepard never realized how frightening a turian was in the dark, only briefly visible by lightning, until she sat in a vehicle with one. Although she knew Garrus harbored no ill will toward her, it was still quite alarming. The rain had subsided for now, just sprinkles tapped the ceramic armor on the Commander's body. The squad seemed on edge, they knew the initial attack wouldn't be the last the slaver's would throw at them. Suddenly out of no where something rush passed on either side of the utility vehicle. Shepard was the only one that flinched by the sound. A feeling of being closed in surrounded her. Soon she realized that they were walls, walls of a canyon. Another feeling wrapped Shepard's being, a lowering one. They were headed deeper and lower into a canyon, perhaps where water used to flow at one point. The trucks heroically kept pace, unaffected by how close the walls were.

"Takes some serious balls to drive into something like this. . ." Wrex remarked.

"I hope they mapped the terrain before moving through here." Tali worried.

"Well, there's only one way to find out. I suggest you hold on. . . might be a bumpy ride."

"Let's keep our guard up. If the slavers are going to attack again, the best place would be on top of these walls." Shepard ordered, trying to keep everyone's mind on the mission. The tires rolled on the canyon floor, the loose dirt eerily audible. The trucks finally leveled out at the bottom of the chasm, the walls drew further apart as well. Now the lightning couldn't be seen, nor could the benefits of it be reaped. Rain again fell onto the armored column. The APC's had to merge into the line due to the lack of space, rendering their fire power limited if not useless. Now the rain wasn't the only thing coming down upon the group.

"Shepard, up there!" Wrex exclaimed as he pointed up. The Commander turned to see what it was. She squinted to see silhouettes flickering on the walls.

"I think those are just rocks Wrex. Maybe just the rain and darkness affecting your vision." She replied.

"No, those aren't rocks Shepard."

"If they're not rocks, then why aren't they shooting at us." Garrus questioned.

"Probably cause their waiting for the opportune moment to strike. That's what I'd do."

"Their just rocks. If they were slavers they'd come in fast and loud. Slavers are never organized enough to execute tactics." Shepard continued.

Wrex growled at the 'ignorance' of his squad members before adjusting back into his seat. Shepard closed her eyes, trying to pass the time. Light flickered on her eyelids, probably more lightning. She paid little attention to it as she rested for a moment in her seat. With a gasp she opened her eyes, remembering that the lightning couldn't be seen from the bottom of the canyon. In front of her everyone already had their guns ready and firing. No sound could be heard, she instinctively grabbed her rifle and brought it to her front. Astonished that she couldn't hear she continued to look frantically, viewing her party shooting at the top of the canyon. She sled from her seat till she sat on the floor, then held her rifle vertically, resting her head on the side of the gun. Water ran down her hair onto the rifle. She stared at her lap trying to gather her senses. _Something must have gone wrong_, she though, still unaware of what really was going on. The Commander took a deep breath and held it for a moment, before releasing it. She turned to put her chest against the bench and fired back at the shadows above. With every bullet discharged at the enemy she regained her hearing.

"C-ommander! Our cannons can't raise high enough!" A low voice blurted in her ear. She waited to respond for a few seconds.

"Shoot the ground underneath them, bring them down!" She replied at the APC gunner. Soon after she spoke explosions detonated on the rock walls, debris showered down on the ground below. Tracers darted up and down the canyon, the whole caravan of marines were shooting at the slavers up above. A clank came from the railing to the right of Commander Shepard, she looked at it to see a three pronged metal thing clasping on the rail. She payed no attention to it and remained fixed on the enemies on the walls, still disoriented. She ducked as bullets pelted the crane to her left. Oddly a black figure rose above the railing on the other side of the rail, it was a person. Shepard stood up and flipped her rifle around, then with a hard swing she struck the figure in the side of the head. As the slaver fell she took hold of the hook and pulled it toward her, unhooking it, then threw it off.

"They have grappling hooks! Watch out for the railing." She yelled over the comm system.

---------------------------

"Do these guys have a lick of sense in them?!" Redford yelled at his squad.

"They picked a fight with us, so I say. . . no." A marine answered. Walker stood to the back of the truck, shooting back and forth between sides. A slaver was struck by someone's bullets and fell down to the ground. More rounds dinged on the floor of the truck causing a horrible racket. Jason noticed a hook catch on to the truck in front of him, then a slaver clinging on to the rope. He aimed the grappler in his sights and fired, bullets hit the truck just short of the target.

"Dammit!" Walker snarled at himself. He took aim again, this time managing to catch the slaver in the leg. The enemy's foot slipped and he dangled on the side of the truck. Walker clinched his teeth and sighted in again. He squeezed the trigger, and two more bullets hit their mark, causing the slaver to fall and hit the ground hard before disappearing under the tire of the massive vehicle.

"Ooow." Jason commented to himself. Grappling hooks caught on both sides of Golf's truck. Redford put up his rifle and ripped the shotgun from it's place. Putting one foot on what was left of the bench he peered down the side just in time to blast the slaver coming up. Without hesitation he did the same on the other side, peered down and fired. Walker raised his eyebrows, impressed by the Sergeants efficiency. A hail of ammunition pounded the truck bed, causing the Lieutenant to duck. He turned to see more slaver's on the ledge above. Raising his rifle Walker blasted the area with bullets.

"How many are up there!?" A marine yelled.

"You better start counting Owen!" Redford answered back.

Slaver's fell on both sides of the canyon from the marine's fire. For having such an advantage the slaver's weren't causing much damage. Explosions ripped into an APC behind Golf's truck.

"They got another APC!" Walker informed the squad.

"Up there! A rocket team!" Owen yelled at his team. All the marines onboard turned and pelted the rocket team with blue beams of light. The slaver's dropped out of view, dead or otherwise.

"Nice going, keep it up Golf!" The Sergeant awarded. Grappling hooks fastened on the sides of the vehicle.

"Their trying to board, give em' hell." Redford ordered. Two marines took the left side while two more waited on the right. They held their rifles over the edge and blind-fired down at the slavers. Then the lines went slack. Walker stepped to help Owen take the hook off with Owen's partner returned fire.

"Crazy bastard's aren't they?" Owen spoke.

"In all my life I've never seen anything like it." Walker replied.

"Yeah, well that makes two of us."

They threw the hook off then picked up their rifles to continue to fight the enemy. Golf's truck lit up then rumbled before it violently careened to the left.

"Shit! Hang on! Hang on! Hang on!" Redford exclaimed. The truck bellowed into the wall, grinding stone and metal into bits. The vehicle began to slide almost on it's side.

"Lean left! Lean left!" Redford frantically called out. The squad tried their best to lean the truck back on it's bottom. The front end plowed into a rock before slamming on it's axile, pieces of rock flew everywhere, crashing onto the bed and outward across the canyon. A few more yards it slid before lurching into a stop. The marines were rattled, some laid motionless on the floor while some clung for their lives on the benches. Dust rolled in from behind while the squad reeled in shock. A few moments past before the Alliance soldier's began to get up. One marine got to his knees to hear a few trucks roll by in the distance, then a horrible silence enveloped the wrecked vehicle. He turned his head to assess his fellow marines. Moans growled as more began to lift themselves.

"How is everyone?" Redford questioned "Everyone alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." One squad member spoke. Several more replied with similar remarks. Walker spoke on the comm system to aware the other squads "Come in command. This is Golf squad we've taken severe damage and can no longer continue, please advise."

---------------------------

The Normandy's shore party stopped firing, pinned down by constant fire. Every once and a while they popped up and discharged a few rounds at the slavers. Shepard raised her weapon and squeezed the trigger, the rounds traveled to the top of the canyon then met the black figures above, mortally wounding one slaver and killing another. She ducked to avoid incoming fire, putting her right hand on the rail. A grappling hook fired from the ground below at their truck and landed on the Commander's hand. Before she could react it clamped down, tightening, crushing her hand as a slaver began to climb up. Shepard yelled in pain as the metal squeezed her hand down on the rail. She released her assault rifle letting it hit the floor as she grabbed the other end of the hook and attempted to lift it. She tugged at the metal object, growling at the strain from the heavy lifting and the pain inflicted on her right hand. Tali spotted her Commander's distress and immediately began to help. Jumping over her comrades legs before thrusting her hands onto the hook. They both pulled at the device, almost lifting it off but the slaver coming up pushed them back as he leapt over the rail. Shepard twisted to her left, her pinned hand caused her to swing backwards into the bench, Tali stumbled backward onto her back.

"Aah! Wrex, Help!" Shepard managed to blurt out as she held her right forearm. Wrex turned from hearing a plea for his help to notice a slaver taking a firearm off his back. The krogan instinctively lunged at the batarian, bringing him to the ground. Wrex held his grip firm on the slaver's throat, asphyxiating the batarian. Tali grabbed the hook again and lifted, Garrus stepped in as well. The hook rose a few inches and Shepard's hand came free, she held it close to her chest trying to ease the pain. The slaver finally stopped struggling and went limp, Wrex stared at the batarian's eyes with hatred. Then he got up from on top of the slaver, grabbed the batarian by the arms, lifted the slaver over his shoulder, and with a heave tossed the body off the truck. Wrex dusted his hands off and nodded briefly before rejoining his squad as they shot at the enemy overhead. Shepard bared her teeth as she clasped her hand with her fingers, massaging it with her thumb. She pumped her right hand tenderly.

"Are you alright Commander?" Tali questioned.

"Mmmm. . . I injured my hand." Shepard moaned slightly.

"I don't think you'll be firing a weapon anytime soon."

"I can still hold a pistol."

"Rest here for a bit, we can handle it from here. Just don't use your right hand for awhile. Make sure you-" Tali was interrupted by the comm system.

"Damn! We lost a truck! Golf squad is out of action." A squad leader relayed.

"Shit." Shepard muttered "How bad is it?"

"It's sliding ma'am- Ow! It just hit the wall."

Shepard closed her eyes, wondering what Golf squad was going through, hoping that they would have a quick death than be captured by the slavers.

"It righted itself Commander." Another Squad leader mentioned moments after.

"Keep the fire up. I'll see what I can do-" An explosion suddenly erupted in front of Echo's truck.

"The walls are caving in!" Li roared on the comm system. The truck slammed on the brakes then veered to the left before skidding in front of the crashing boulders. Rocks buried on top of the vehicles hood. Foxtrot stopped behind Echo's truck. India and Juliet roared by along with three APCs under the shower of rocks still following Alpha, Bravo, charlie and Delta. The slaver's pulled back from the walls after the trap was sprung. The same silence that befell Golf could be heard, followed by the sound of rocks clashing together. Shepard's squad slowly untangled themselves from each other. Garrus lifted Liara out of the pile while Tali and Wrex knelt up from the floor. Garrus then held his hand out to Shepard. She reached with her left hand and grabbed hold.

"This is Foxtrot, we're trapped in as well. Awaiting further orders." Foxtrot's squad leader relayed over the comm system.

"Looks like it's on foot from here." Wrex spoke.

Shepard again massaged her right hand, having re-injured it in the wreck.

"Come in command. This is Golf squad we've taken severe damage and can no longer continue, please advise." A familiar voice came through Shepard's comm.

Shepard's face turned to surprise as she took a step forward "Walker?" She questioned to herself.

"Command do you read?" Jason repeated.

"Li! Turn this truck around now! We need to pick up Golf!"

"You got it." Li answered. The truck rumbled back to life and reversed out from the pile of rocks.

"Golf I read you. We are on our way." Shepard replied.

"Alright, that's what we wanted to hear- wait. . . Damn it to hell, More slavers!" Walker yelled.

Shepard's eyes widened "Li we needed to be there three minutes ago!"

"I'm tryin', some rocks are stuck under the axle." Li said before the truck rose sharply in the air "Oop, got it. Here we go."

The truck straightened out in Golf's direction and sped off.

---------------------------

Gun shots fired down on the ground below. Three slavers were struck by the barrage, they fell lifelessly to the dirt. The other slavers took cover behind a grouping of rocks, firing back in order.

"Get a grenade over there!" A marine yelled. Another squad mate rose from his position and flung a grenade at the three enemies. It detonated behind the rock killing two of the three slavers and injuring the third. Blue tracers beamed back and forth from the truck wreckage to the canyon floor. Walker saw a hostile dart across to another grouping of rocks. He leaned out of cover and fired a burst of rounds at the moving target. Two bullets hit their mark on the slavers thigh while two more ripped through his torso and abdomen, the slaver dropped his rifle and collapsed in mid run on the ground, sliding several inches.

"This must be what's left over from the grapple teams. I hope the slavers above don't find a way down here!" A marine shouted over the fire.

"Them coming down isn't the problem. It's us going up!" Redford called back. More slavers fell from Golf's unrelenting defense. Soon the enemy began to withdraw from the area. Making their way to the canyons main section. Some groups shot back at the marines to cover their retreat. With one final spray of rounds two more slavers fell backwards dead.

"Jesus. . . They just don't quit." Sergeant Redford sighed while he eyed the black figures moving out of the cove into the route of the canyon. Owen gasped trying to catch his breath, fatigued from the none stop combat. Another marine stood up, stretching his back while the one next to him put up his rifle and adjusted his belt.

"Some one check the driver, make sure he's alright." Redford ordered. A marine nodded in confirmation and motioned Jason to follow him. The marine put his rifle on it's hard points and jumped over the side with one hand on the rail and turned in mid air before latching on the truck and scaling down. Jason grabbed the rail and stepped through the breach in it then swung down to the ground.

"Jeez, not much room down here." Walker commented to the marine trying to pry the door open.

"Nope, not a whole lot. Here, give me a hand with this door." The marine replied. Walker stepped over a few rocks and put his fingers through the gap between the door. Both pulled vigorously at the stubborn sheet of metal. With a few grunts the door flew open, as it did blood could be seen all over the door.

"That's not a good sign." The marine commented while eyeing the blood. Then he stepped up and into the cab trying to examine the driver.

"Oh man. He's dead." The marine again commented "Tell the sergeant."

"Hey Redford! The driver's dead." Walker yelled to the top of the vehicle with his hands around his mouth.

"Dammit, alright, grab what you find useful and meet in the back." The sergeant said in a semi-audible volume. Walker looked back at the trucks cab, noticing the blood splattered on the heavily cracked windshield. Jason climbed in after the marine to look for salvageable equipment.

"Aw man. . ." Walker blurted out as he saw what was left of the driver.

"The explosion killed the driver, probably a quick death before the wall smashed him. Hopefully." The marine that was now in the trucks cargo room admitted. Walker worked his way around the crushed metal and stepped over the gore and into the walkway.

"What the hell do you have back here?" Jason question as he looked at the cargo.

"Well, we have our now useless pylons, various construction metals, and explosives." The marine listed.

"Explosives? What for?"

"For demolition. . . Wait, your that guy that ran along side of our truck aren't you?"

"Yeah I am."

"Then I suppose I should be the one to fill you in. I'm specialist Doran, we're a demolitions unit. Highly skilled, highly mobile, and highly lethal. We've been ordered to demo anything that is not Terra-forming related. I suppose you picked the worst truck to tag along in if you wanted to participate in the main objective."

"Wha- Your not marines?"

"No, we're not. We are still Alliance however, so don't go thinking we're an independent cell."

"Does the Commander know about this?!" Walker yelled slightly, confused and left out.

"Yes she does."

"Why wasn't I informed?!"

Doran put his arms out shrugging "Where were you? It was all in the briefing." He shook his head "anyway help me throw these bags out of the back."

Walker stared at Doran's face, however covered by a helmet and balaclava, not all to pleased with the situation.

"humph." Walker smirked "This just get's more and more interesting."

"Yeah, well it'll get a whole hell of a lot more interesting after you help me get these explosives out of the truck." Doran prodded.

---------------------------

A few bags later the demo crew stood outside of the truck, helping lower the explosives to the ground.

"You're the man that threw the shell off of the truck, right?" Jason spoke.

"No that was Specialist Mason. He doesn't talk much, usually when he does it's all business. Here let me line them up for you, they're all Specialist so keep that in mind so I don't have to say it every time. Ok, I of course am Doran, that's Owen, Redford, Skip, Sarasoda, Mason, Clark, and Renolds. You are the ninth man Lieutenant, as your well aware."

"So your not a sergeant, are you Redford?"

"No mate, just having a bit of fun. I'm still the leader though. I wanted to ease you into things." Redford apologized.

"Thanks then, I guess." Walker thanked in confusion as to why he needed eased into. Several men chuckled slightly, amused by Redford's antics toward a commanding officer.

"Yeah, he's still the leader of the group." Doran interrupted. Walker nodded smiling a bit, noticing he just barged into a tight-nit squad, they slightly reminded him of his company.

"So what would you have us do Lieutenant?" Redford questioned "You are the highest ranking out of us. Isn't this what you marines do?"

"What? No, no don't shift command to me, you keep it. You know the men more than I do." Jason relinquished.

Redford grinned "I like you Walker. You're a good man. Obviously know a few things about moral and commanding men."

Walker smirked again, refraining himself from talking about his premature entry to commanding a company.

"Anyway, let's move out. We'll go up the cliff on that wall, looked like a good spot to climb up. Once at the top let's clear the area then split up into two groups to cover more distance, so we can make up some time from this early drop off. I reckon your date with queen bee'll be coming fairly soon Walker." Redford planned out.

"My guess is that the commander's squad will stick with us. Merge the four trapped teams into two." Jason theorized.

"Your both better off with the rest of your marines Lieutenant. We will be going way off course of your primary objective. However, we will accompany you and the commander's squad to the others."

"Sounds good."

Redford turned to his men "Alright, let's move out."

---------------------------

The clouds began to break, showing a dark navy color above. The night was giving way to dawn, although still hours away from day break. The truck rolled back to Golf's last known location, bumping and shaking over the battle scared terrain. To the left a husk of a truck stood still, flaming and charred. Shepard followed the truck with her eyes, noticing five marine bodies strewn about the top of the truck. The missing three were likely taken by the slavers as prisoners.

"Why didn't I know we lost a truck?" Shepard questioned as the dead vehicle shot out of vision.

"They yelled over the comm system Commander. It was Hotel's truck. You didn't hear it?" Garrus reminded.

"No. . . I didn't." Shepard whispered, shocked that she didn't have a clue of the fate of those men. She tilted her head back, staring into the air, disappointed in herself for not being combat affective lately, or well aware. Worn out and battered, she memorized and regretted neglecting Kaiden's advice, she should have stayed. The stagnant and pungent smell of death hung in the air as bodies passed by. The commander clenched her right hand, furious of the loss of marines just recently discovered. A sharp pain shot through her fist then arm, she gasped and released her hand. This battle has already taken it's toll on the Commander and all those under her command.

"Here we are Commander. I see it just up ahead." Li announced, breaking Shepard's thought. The group stood up, examining the smoldering wreckage that was Golf's truck. Shepard squinted, not to hopeful by the sight of the truck. Li pulled the truck into the cove and stopped. Anxious to see the fait of Lieutenant Walker, Shepard quickly climbed down the ladder and ran to the truck. As she drew closer she slowed down to a stop, her mouth open in concern. She sprinted again closer to the crash site this time getting right up next to it. The commander noticed the doors to the cargo hold were open, she stepped around to get a closer look. Inside was nothing, it looked like the cargo had been raided. Her left fingers twitched, worried even greater by this sight. Up on the bed of the truck was no different, but some blood was visible on the floor. She could only speculate who's it was. As she climbed down the ladder all things pointed to the slaver's dragging Golf away. The rest of the squad fanned out around to investigate and secure the area. They examined the bodies on the ground, trying to identify them.

"They look like they're all slavers." Garrus commented.

"Keep looking, a clue's got to be around here somewhere." Tali replied, looking at the ground. In the corner of the truck's cargo hold was a stack of pylons, sitting in place, almost mocking her. Shepard bit her teeth together, furious at the sight. She quickly grabbed one and threw it to the ground.

"Is this what we're dying for!" She roared at the object "We're dying for some billionaire's pet project!" Shepard turned and kicked the fender of the truck. She took a few deep breaths and sat on the lip of the cargo bay. Holding her forehead in her palm she shook her head, angered and saddened by the events unfolding so far. After a few minutes the Commander stood up again and began walking toward an opening in the cliff.

Wrex kicked over another body and pointed his rifle at it "Another slaver. . ." He turned toward the truck "Shepard-" He yelled for a quick second before seeing her off in the distance. He stood there for a minute, analyzing what Shepard was doing. "Hey! After her!" He yelled at the squad. Garrus, Liara, and Tali peered up to see Wrex running, they quickly took pursuit.

---------------------------

As the Commander made it to the top of the canyon she looked around cautiously, not knowing if slavers might still be around.

"Commander? What are you doing?!" Garrus questioned in concern over the comm.

"Don't follow me." She replied in a cold tone.

"But-"

"They'll track us if we use the comm system. Radio silence." Shepard ordered. Silence ensued, Garrus had followed her orders, although reluctantly. The terrain above the canyon was hilly across the horizon, it's going to be rough traversing it, let alone fighting in it. Shepard began walking forward a few yards then quickly realized static in the flat sand under her feet. She crouched down to view the anomaly. They were foot prints, however unclear, they were defiantly prints.

"Jason. . ." She gasped under her breath. She swallowed, slightly relived from the sight then stood back up.

"What about him?" A female voice questioned in a smile behind Shepard. She felt a cool metal object press against the back of her head. Slowly the Commander lifted her hands in front of her. Moments later she began feeling the guns on her back being striped off. Then an arm reached down to grab her pistol from her thigh. In that split second Shepard forced her elbow behind her, striking the female. The Commander turned around and tackled the person. On the ground she recognized the woman, it was the bounty hunter from the Citadel. Shepard cocked her arm back and slammed a punch at the hunter's face. A hand caught the Commander's fist then another clenched on her throat. Shepard grabbed the woman's wrist with her right hand, but the pain burst again in her hand. With this disadvantage Shepard couldn't fight off the bounty hunter. Suddenly she found herself on her back in the sand, with the unrelenting woman on top of her. The commander bared her teeth, placed one foot on Rose's stomach, and kicked Rose off of her. The bounty hunter flew over Shepard's head. Rose landed on her back with a grunt while Shepard stood up. As the bounty hunter got up Shepard punted a kick at her, Rose caught it then flung Shepard's leg to he side before throwing a punch at the Spectre but the punch was caught as well. Shepard yelled and forced her right hand at rose's head but again was caught.

"Aah!" Shepard yelped.

"Injured? What a surprise." Rose smirked squeezing Shepard's hand. As her hand was being crushed Shepard yelled in agony. Before the bounty hunter could continue the Commander put her left foot on Rose's chest and pushed. She released her grip on Shepard's hand and rolled backward to a crouch. They locked eyes and charged each other, Rose dove under Shepard's hands and speared her core. In a lock Shepard leaned forward trying to stay vertical as Rose pushed the opposite way. Raising her left arm in the air the Commander rammed her elbow into the woman's spine, in between the shoulder blades. Rose cried out and collapsed on hands and knees to the sand, Shepard stepped over the hunter then turned around and kicked the writhing woman in the side. Shepard flipped over the bounty hunter and swung a punch at rose's head but her arm was caught, then she was brought down to a kneel with a knife to her throat.

Rose smiled "Now I have you."

Shepard's eyes looked down to the knife and back at Rose's eyes.

"I figured your leader would get to me before you." Shepard snapped.

"Hmm, what makes you think that?"

"He did the last few times, tends to be a bit. . . nostalgic. Guess he wised up and sent a bitch for me to kill instead."

Green orbs locked with violet as they stared into one another fiercely. Shepard suddenly buried a right jab into Rose's abdomen. The bounty hunter released her grip and dropped the knife. Shepard took hold of the knife, got to her feet and tossed it far across the sand. She then gasped from using her right hand again, she shook it a few times but before she could recover she was brought to the ground again by Rose. Their bodies slammed together as they collided on the sand. Shepard forcefully turned to her left and they began rolling down hill. They rolled over and over kicking up sand into a cloud as they continued downward. Finally they stopped but Rose was still on top, still in control. The bounty hunter pushed her hands down on Shepard's arms.

"Hmm. Look's like you still lose." Rose chuckled slightly. Shepard struggled, shifting her shoulders side to side, baring her teeth. Rose laid on top of the Spectre for a bit, studying her.

"Your strong. Even now I can feel you tense up."

Shepard's chest pumped up and down as she caught her breath, exhausted from fighting.

"Finish what you were sent here to do. . ." Shepard growled in anger.

"Oh no. I'm not going to 'finish' this early. Let me relish this moment. You are a Spectre after all. . . people in my business don't catch many of you."

"Yeah, well people in my business don't let many of you live. . ."

"You two have the same personality. . ." Rose remarked.

"Who?! Me and who else?!"

Rose slowly lowered her head down toward Shepard's. The bounty hunter then pressed her lips on the Commander's. Shepard's eyes widened then contracted, surprised. They both laid there for a few moments, Shepard strangely relaxed her muscles, before Rose gently lifted her lips from Shepard's.

". . . Mmm, taste the same as well." Rose commented, then she noticed the tension release in the Spectre and grinned "curious, are we?" No sooner did she say that Commander Shepard snapped out of her bizarre state and flung the bounty hunter off her. With a burst of speed Shepard sprinted toward her sidearm, sand kicked from under her feet. She stubbled a bit, putting her hand down on the sand, before lunging toward the weapon. Grasping it she spun around on her back and fired toward her opponent. Three shots absorbed into the blue sphere around the hunter, but the forth shot tore through the shield and slammed into her left shoulder. Rose yelled in pain as her should jerked back and her right hand grasped it. Shepard noticed the bounty hunter's shields were down and fired again. This time the bullet buried itself in Rose's leg, she gasped again and knelt to the sand. Now ,shot twice, Rose moved her right hand to her boot and unsheathed another knife, she yelled as she threw the blade forward. A shiny metallic object sliced through the air toward Shepard. The Spectre ducked her head down as the dagger sparked off her pistol and sliced through her hair. Pushing off the ground back to her feet Rose ran for her life out into the vast expanse of sandy hills. Shepard lifted her self up and took pursuit before hurling her now useless sidearm at the fleeing woman. It tumbled through the air before cratering in the sand a few feet short of it's target.

"Shit!" Shepard cursed as she fell to her knees, angered for letting the bounty hunter escape. The silhouette of Shepard's wounded assailant flickered off in the distance before disappearing. The Commander rested once more on her knees, breathing rapidly. She put her right hand in her left and examined it further, the pain still searing. Shepard moaned as she climbed to her feet, beaten and wore out. She then began to pick up what was left of her equipment, no doubt knowing that the bounty hunter would return.


	17. Forgotten Legacy

It was now day break as the solar system's sun peaked over the horizon.

"One good thing about being on active duty. Your always up to see the sun set and rise." Sarasoda commented at the amber sliver visible to the east.

"I'd rather have an increase in pay." Clark muttered back in a British accent.

"That would be fine by me." Skip added. Walker kept pace next to Sarasoda and Owen with the remainder of the squad to his left.

"Let's pray that our brother's in the trucks are doing better than we are." Renolds spoke "May God rest the souls of our fallen.-"

"I used to be a praying man." Sarasoda's voice blocked out Renolds' in Jason's ear "One day my friend became very ill and bed ridden. There in the hospital, I sat next to him day after day, praying that he would return to health. But he never did." He paused for a second "Then I realized that God doesn't listen to one man's prayers. Only to the many."

Jason didn't know what to say, instead he looked down at the ground.

"Hold up. I'm getting pings on the radar. A group of hostile's up ahead." Sarasoda announced, the group stopped in their tracks and knelt to the ground.

"Sarasoda you know what to do." Redford whispered.

"With pleasure." Sarasoda replied, taking the sniper rifle off his back. He crouched up a hill before going prone and crawling to the top. Jason's eyes darted around the landscape looking for anymore contacts. It felt very familiar to him, he had a new helmet on along from a balaclava given to him by Doran and plenty of sand around for miles, almost exactly like Iraq.

"They're grouped around a structure, looks like a container, probably supplies. I count eight." Sarasoda relayed.

"You are weapons free." Redford ordered. Sarasoda gently put his hand into the sand and brought up a fist full before slowly pouring it back onto the ground. Then he positioned his rifle slightly to the left. Minutes passed, Jason fixed his eyes on their designated marksman, waiting for the shot. Finally a crack erupted from the barrel, then Sarasoda lifted three fingers into the air. He quickly shifted his sniper rifle to the right and fired again, this time two fingers. Again he sent a round down range but lifting only one finger, then another shot with two more fingers lifted.

"All clear." Sarasoda said clearly. Walker couldn't believe this marksman's shooting prowess, eight kills in under fifteen seconds.

"Nice work. Now let's go see what's in that container." Redford ordered his squad. They all got up from their knees and walked up the hill toward the objective, guns shouldered. As they descended off the hill they check back and forth for enemies. Redford, Skip, and Owen positioned themselves in front of the containers doors, ready to open. Skip and Owen stood directly toward the doors, rifles held at the entrance while Redford stood to the side of one door. They nodded to Redford and he swung around, latched onto the door handle, and opened it. Owen shifted his rifle side to side, up and down at the inside of the crate.

"All clear." Owen confirmed.

"Bloody hell. . ." Skip whispered to himself. Inside the crate stood silent beings, swaying gently in thoughtless motion.

"Jesus Christ!" Redford gasped as he noticed the people inside the container. Jason ran over to the group just outside of the giant metal box. Walker's mouth dropped as he witnessed the atrocity. The being's blank, emotionless eyes moved to Jason standing in front of them.

"What the fuck happened here!" Redford demanded.

"My God. . ." Doran gasped as he too saw the hollow people.

"What the fuck! Happened here!" Redford reiterated, infuriated by the slaver's abuse. The squad was hit hard by the sight of the slaves inside the holding container. The slaves still stood silent, emotionless and unaware by Golfs presence, chains bound to their ankles.

"Wha-what do we do?" Owen questioned.

---------------------------

Foot prints in the sand, that's all Shepard had to go on to discover the whereabouts of Lieutenant Walker. It's been over three hours and still no sign of a slaver or Alliance personnel. The sun now was slightly above the horizon. Suddenly in the distance gun shots were heard, Shepard looked around trying to figure out where the fight was. The shots continued to beat in succession until it finally stopped with a loud echo before firing again. Where ever the fight was, it was big, not that much fire would just sound off for a minor firefight.

Crackling sounded on the comm system ". . . krogan. . .-mercenaries with. . . . Vorcha. . . - - - reported." then the radio fizzed out followed by silence.

"This is Commander Shepard, what's your status? I repeat this is-" Shepard heard something behind her. She turned around but nothing was there. Looking around the hills the Commander slowed her pace. Another noise gurgled, this time a growl. The Spectre slowly grabbed for her shotgun. Then shuffling in the sand pattered behind her before heavy panting. A sheer sense of terror washed over Shepard as she turned. In front of her some creature lunged at her, she stepped out of the way but the creature sideswiped her right arm. As she looked toward the beast it shot an amber glance at her and snarled, varren. As it charged again Shepard ran toward it, running right in front of it she kicked the varren in the mouth. As the beast yelped from the blow Shepard pointed the shotgun at it's back and fired. The creature fell to the ground dead. Another came screaming down the hill, the Commander turned and blasted it from afar. It's head buried into the ground before it flipped several times down the dune. Three more barreled after Shepard, she ran away, trying to put more distance between them. Taking out a grenade she threw it into the sand under her then turned her head to time the explosion. The varren chased after their fleeing prey unaware of the danger that lay ahead. Shepard detonated the explosive, killing all three varren simultaneously. She turned to witness her work, jogging backwards, suddenly she was struck in the back and taken down. Her hand unwittingly released the shotgun. The strike came out of no where, not even the Commander herself knew she hit the ground until sand entered her mouth. Slowly she lifted her head, watching the varren that knocked her down make a wide turn back. Then another creature clamped down on her boot. Shepard flipped around on her back to fend off the varren now dragging her away. A few swift kicks to the snout and the varren let go, but it recovered and bit down once more. It then shook her leg violently.

"Aaah!" Shepard yelled while her leg continued to shift and twist. She reached for her sniper rifle on her back and pulled it forward. Aiming briefly she fired. The bullet tore through the beast's spine, dropping it instantly. The other varren was now galloping toward the Spectre. Shepard kicked her left foot out of the beast's mouth before spinning around on her backside to confront the charging varren. Aiming again she held her unsteady breath, trying to end the ferocious creature without hassle. The shot echoed aloud, the blue pulse visible for a split second. She lowered the barrel to still see the varren running at her. Shepard cringed and took aim once more, this time without a breath altogether. The trigger slammed down, another projectile screamed toward it's mark. This time it hit, the varren landed on it's side and slid next to the Commander. It's chest collapsed as the four legged beast exhaled it's last breath. Shepard too exhaled but it wasn't her last breath, not yet. She got up to her feet, brushing of sand from her chest and back. Picking up her weapons she turned toward her original heading.

---------------------------

Another half hour of walking before the Commander noticed plenty of activity in the sand. From the look of it Walker was with the rest of Golf squad, and they spread out right here. Shepard then followed a pair of foot prints that led up to the top of a sand dune and a body print. She looked to where the body print was pointed and noticed a large cargo crate down below with bodies all around. Shepard gasped slightly and ran toward the object. She then raised her assault rifle in front of her chest, pressed her back against the metal wall and slid slowly to the front. Now at the end of the crate she peered slightly over to see the bodies of slavers on the ground. Cautiously she leaned out to check the corpses. Looking down she took tabs on the posture of the slain then the wounds.

"Work of a sniper. . ." She whispered to herself. Suddenly a bang came from inside the metal container. Shepard whipped around and pointed her rifle, unaware of what exactly caused the noise. She crept to the door, putting her hand on the handle, and slowly opened it. She let momentum open the door the rest of the way as she clasped her left hand back under her rifle. Noticing figures appear in the shadows she tensed up, holding the weapon firmly. Again the slaves inside stood still, bodies swaying like grass in the breeze. Shepard opened her mouth and gasped, as if she were suddenly struck by a blunt object in the stomach. Her arms gave way and released the rifle, it tumbled once before hitting the ground. She collapsed to her knees, not having witnessed such morbid disregard for life since her family was murdered. The Commander's eyes darted across the ground, her strength and soul shattered. Shepard couldn't help but feel guilty, if only she had the power to slay the monster that was responsible all those years ago. Maybe these people would still be living their normal lives, with their families. The Commander gagged, sickened by the feeling. She put her right hand around her throat as she continued to cough. A faint humming sound bellowed in the canyon about thirty feet behind Commander Shepard, but no attention was paid by her mind. As Shepard dealt with the mental anguish the humming sound became louder until it was almost unbearable. Sand kicked up past Shepard and all around her. Instantly she turned her head and shoulders around to see an aircraft hovering behind her. Shepard sprung to her feet and turned fully, enough to see the one man accountable for such abuse. Her expression turned to hatred as she locked eyes with Lord Venterius. Then she spotted a mounted gun aiming toward her. Without hesitation she bolted for cover behind the metal container. Bullets began pelting the ground behind her feet. She spun behind the metal walling and looked down, seeing a hail of fire shredding the ground beside her. Then in a noxious way the rounds slowly crept backward before the sound of them striking metal filled the air. As the Commander felt vibrations in her back from bullets pouring into the metal crate she yelled in rage, all of which was drowned out by the gunfire. The slaves inside were being slaughtered like animals. They didn't even attempt to move as blood sprayed the interior of the container. Shepard leaned out of cover and began shooting at the aircraft's gunner, trying desperately to get his attention. The fixed gun slowly, methodically motioned back and forth, making sure to butcher every last slave inside the metal coffin. The Spectre pulled her last grenade from her belt and threw it forward. Slaver's now piled out of the aircraft, Lord Venterius among them. The explosive detonated mid air, killing a slaver and shaking the transport violently. As the gun turned to Shepard she ducked behind the wall again. The haunting hum of the rounds blurred past, impacting the sandy hills behind. To Shepard's disbelief dark figures rose above the dunes ahead of her, firing back at the slavers, it was golf squad. With a morale boost from seeing friendlies in the area Shepard turned out of cover once more to take aim at the now distracted gunner. As her finger squeezed the trigger four rounds sliced through the gunner's chest and abdomen, the turret then fell silent. Commander Shepard turned her head to see one of golf's team members fire a rocket at the aircraft. The projectile hurled onward with iron hostility, before slamming into the side of the aircraft and exploding. The vehicle fell apart in midair then disappeared out of sight. Bullets fired back and forth as Golf squad closed the distance between them and the slavers. Shepard ran around to the longest side of the crate to fire upon the enemy. Two slavers were felled by Golf as the Commander switched cover. She then fired on the rest of the slavers, hitting one several times in the leg before he collapsed backwards.

"We got your back Commander!" Walker yelled as he tapped her shoulder and stood slightly to the right of her, firing as well. Shepard smiled as Lieutenant Walker once again fought along side her. Another slaver transport was visible out in the distance, heralding bad news.

"Friendly reinforcements en route! Keep the fight up!" Redford was heard yelling. The few slavers that remained deployed shields.

"Heads up! They're using Geth technology!" Shepard informed the squad. Jason dropped his assault rifle and began to take off the sniper rifle on Shepard's hard-points. Feeling hands on her back She looked back, confused by the lieutenant's actions.

"Should have given me one of these." Walker smirked before shouldering the newly acquired fire arm. He fired a shot at one of the slavers, blood sprayed out of the victim's side. Shepard turned to fire some more but her assault rifle was suddenly grabbed and slammed into what was left of the metal door. As she recovered from the sudden attack a figure appeared in front of her. There stood Venterius, an evil smile on his face. He threw a punch but Shepard ducked in the nick of time. Walker noticed the sudden fight and held the rifle at the Lord. Venterius quickly pushed the Commander backwards and swatted Jason's barrel to the side, the gun discharged but too late. Then the slaver leader grabbed the sniper rifle from the Lieutenant and forced the stock into Jason's stomach, he staggered back only to be shoved down to the ground. Lord Venterius raised the rifle and slammed it over Walker's back, he yelled in pain as the metal object struck him. Shepard weaved her hand under Venterius arm and grabbed his face, then she pulled him toward the metal wall and threw his head into it. She punched his face with her left and followed up with a high kick to the head. The leader stumbled for a moment then quickly slid his fingers around the Commander's throat. He pressed her against the container.

"Your fight is over Shepard! Confess! Your finished! Now come with me and accept your fate!" Venterius roared at the Spectre. Her hands gripped around his wrist, almost weakened.

"My fate isn't with you!" She snapped back.

"Ah, your beautiful voice. I almost forgot it's sweet sting." Venterius hissed. Commander Shepard brought her foot up to the slaver's stomach and pushed with all her might. He stepped back for a moment then laughed. As Venterius continued to laugh at the Spectre's petty attempts to free herself Walker slammed a right fist to the side of the slaver lord's jaw. With that Venterius let go of his grip and stumbled away.

Jason held his Commander by the shoulders "Are you alright?"

"Not till I rip his tongue out!" She yelled at Venterius. The Lord turned around, sliding a knife from his waist and plunged it into Walker's shoulder.

"Eeaaah!" Jason shouted as the knife sank into his back. Walker fell against the Commander. Her eyes wide open she reached up and felt the knife in his shoulder.

"No!" Shepard screamed. Blood poured down her fingers as she stared at Jason's masked face. Walker grabbed something from his belt and whipped around at Lord Venterius. Staggering to his left Jason lifted his right arm, pointing his pistol down and unloaded the full clip of his MEU(SOC). The now out dated bullets peppered Venterius' body, some merely bounced off his armor while others penetrated slightly. Shepard threw herself at the slaver leader, tackling him to the ground. As the two hit the sand Shepard threw a left hook into Venterius' head, then with her damaged right hand, she grasped his face and slammed it backward. Venterius recovered then headbutted Shepard's forehead and pushed her off of him. The Commander used that force to get on her feet, as she balanced a kick barreled for her side. It collided into her left ribs, knocking the air out of her. The Spectre turned from the blow and her chest slammed against the metal siding. Not long after Venterius held Shepard against the wall, his right hand on the back of her head as he pinned his body against the Commander's back. The sinister man broke into a grin then laughed slightly, still holding Shepard firm against the cold dura-steel. Brown hair weaved in between the slaver leader's fingers. He again grinned and cocked Shepard's head back, about to smash her face against the wall. With a fluid motion, Commander Shepard duck under Lord Venterius' arm and slipped around his side. Venterius slammed his hand into the wall, but before he could react Shepard tripped him to the ground with her right leg, pushed his chest into the wall, then elbowed his head into the hard surface. The Commander pulled the shotgun from Venterius' back, ready to blow his god forsaken brains out. A slaver ran from around the corner, trying to flank the other members of Golf. Instantly she brought the gun up and fired at the slaver, he fell back to the ground, arms rested on his chest.

"Your just going to kill me right here? I expected more from you, much more. Especially with all your rage deep inside." Venterius remarked.

"I'm not going to kill you. . . Not yet." Shepard spoke softly but with anger. She lifted her right foot, placing it on the back of Venterius' head, and kicked, bashing his face into the slave container. Shepard threw the shotgun to the side and ran to Jason.

"Hang in there Jason. Jason!" She repeated as Walker laid motionless. The Commander shook the lieutenant, he slowly moved his arms.

"Lay still. This will hurt, alot." Shepard informed. She wrapped her right hand around the handle of the knife and yanked it out.

"Aah! Gaah. . . errrrm!" Jason yelled as the knife dislodged from his shoulder. Shepard held her other hand on the wound, slowing the bleeding, then she tossed the knife behind her and reached to her belt. Taking a pack of medi-gel from her belt she crushed the pack and slammed it on top of the wound.

"Fuck! . . . eeah! Where did you learn first aid!?" Walker yelped in pain.

"Same place everyone else did. Now stop moving, give the medicine a chance to kick in." The Commander ordered. Jason's breaths were labored from the sudden shock, then he began to breath normally. On the battlefield the second aircraft began unloading more enemy soldiers. As Shepard lifted her head she saw humans running down the dune, they were marines. The Alliance marines fired down on the slavers as they descended down the dune.

"Reinforcements have arrived! Yeah!" Redford yelled over the comm system. The squad members cheered over their mics as the news broke.

"Don't give them anything!" Sarasoda roared. A medic stepped down and began tending to Walker. He nodded to the Commander to get back into the fight, she gladly obliged. A marine tossed her an assault rife, she caught it and began firing at the slavers. Right and left the stunned enemies fell to the marines barrage of fire. A group of allies huddled behind the metal structure while more charged forward.

"Go go go!" A marine exclaimed to his men. An explosion blew up in front of Shepard, she jumped through the plume of smoke and dirt then continued forth. A marine to the left of her fell to the ground as another did on her right, dodging the wounded men Shepard and the rest of the marines charged. Some slavers began to flee the battle while others returned fire. Soon the opposition gave way and routed. Out of the corner of her eye Shepard saw Lord Venterius boarding the second aircraft. The Spectre grabbed a stimulant pack from the marine next to her's belt and quickly injected it into her neck, desperate to return some of her lost energy. She tossed the empty syringe then broke off from the main group and pursued the leader. She fired at the man, his shields activating in a dark blue corona. Venterius spun his head toward Shepard and hastened his climb into the aircraft, having had enough of the Spectre for now. Commander Shepard shook her head and threw the rifle down, then unhooked her sniper rifle and shotgun, the firearms clanked and rolled on the ground. Quickening her speed she now was no more than twenty feet from the vehicle. The transport began to take off slowly, climbing higher. Then it peeled to the left, trying to turn into the canyon. With one last effort Shepard jumped for the aircraft, doing everything in her power to end this once and for all. The ground suddenly disappeared from under her. Everything went into slow motion, the transport almost in reach. Then it all returned to normal and she dove inside the aircraft. Grasping tightly onto a pole inside, Shepard's legs flung forward as she struggled to stay inside the vehicle. Regaining her orientation she stood up inside the transport and walked behind Lord Venterius. She grabbed his shoulder and belt then hurled him to the back of the aircraft. Venterius land on a bench in shock, unaware that the Commander had actually followed him on board.

"You honestly thought you could get away that easy?" Shepard yelled over the wind. Not giving the slaver time to answer she punched him across the face. Then she grabbed a hold of his neck and pushed downward. They stared into each others eyes, both sets emblazoned with ferocity. A sharp pain swiftly stung Shepard in the left thigh, she bared her teeth as her leg burned. Shepard let go of her grip and her left hand felt down to her thigh and pulled out a knife. A punch sent Shepard to the back wall of the aircraft. Venterius rushed in with both hands and grabbed the Commander's neck. He lifted her above his head, trying to choke her. Shepard's feet dangled in the air, trying to reach for the ground. A knee quickly struck Venterius in the face and he let go. Shepard grabbed on to two rails on the ceiling and swung, driving both her feet into the slaver's chest. He fell backwards into the cockpit, smashing into various buttons and levers. The transport jerked downward, barreling to the ground. The pilot desperately tried to correct the aircraft, pulling back on the stick and pressing a various combination of buttons. Shepard hung on to a pole next to her, leaning back to keep upright. The transport leveled out and Venterius rose to his feet.

"You'll get us both killed!" Venterius shouted.

Shepard stared at her enemy "Maybe the universe is better off that way. . ." Venterius' eyes widened at Shepard's words. The Commander ran at Venterius, ramming her shoulder into his stomach. They both slammed into the cockpit. As both scrambled to control one another the pilot leaned out of the way, shifting the aircraft with him. The two slid into the copilot's seat, Shepard landing on top. She landed a couple of punches but her left arm was grabbed, then Venterius punched the Spectre in the bruised ribs. The slaver leader kept pummeling her side over and over, exploiting an already damage area. Then he pushed Shepard off of him and stood up in front of her. As the Commander reeled in pain, holding her left side with both her hands, Venterius stripped her arms away and forced his knee into her ribs. Commander Shepard heard something crack as she fell to the floor. She turned and her stomach, hands streaking on the metal floor in sheer pain. Lord Venterius flipped Shepard over with his foot, then put his boot on Shepard's side and pressed down as hard as he could.

"Aaaah!" Shepard screamed in agony.

"That's right, scream! Scream! Louder! Louder!" Venterius cackled in a frenzy. He twisted the heel of his boot rigorously, trying to inflict as much damage as he could. Suddenly the aircraft began shaking violently, something had nailed the hull. It shook harder then rocked back and forth, before spinning. The Commander grabbed the bench legs on both sides, trying keep herself steady. Venterius tripped over Shepard and held onto the rails in the back. Out of the window blue sky spun around and around, then the brown sides of the canyon could be seen whirling in circles. A loud beeping sound warned everyone aboard of a critical failure.

"Alright! Bagged another transport carrier!" A young Alliance marine's voice came through the comm system. Shepard winced at the kids remark, knowing that the same person that she just heard could very well be the one that unknowingly killed her.

---------------------------

"Hell of a fight." Redford remarked, sitting next to Walker.

Jason sat still for a moment then looked at Redford. "Where did the Commander go?"

"I dunno mate. Last time I checked she was with you."

"Shit!" Walker exclaimed before abruptly standing up. He then hissed and grabbed his shoulder.

"Probably ought to take it easy for a few."

"I-I can't take it easy! The Commander is gone! again!"

"Whoa, ease up. Why do you need her?"

"You don't understand. . . I need her to get back!" Jason shouted, waving his arm down.

"Back? Back where?"

"I. . . . never mind." Walker turned, putting his hand up at Redford "Forget it."

"what? Get a hold of yourself! Did something bonk you on the head to hard or what?!" Redford stood up, confused and concerned. Jason put his hands on his hips looking down shaking his head, disappointed in his selfish out burst.

"Here I am, wanting to know where the Commander is for my own selfish reasons. When she's the one getting hunted down." Jason admitted.

"wha- ok." Redford gave up.

"You want to know where that Spectre went?" A marine question, overhearing the conversation.

"Yea, do you know where she is?" Walker turned to the Alliance serviceman.

"She jumped on that transport ship that took off right before the battle ended. Just after taking a stim-pack off my belt." The marine told, looking down at his belt.

"Where was it going?" Redford inserted.

"It took off to the east. Down the length of the canyon. Let me tell ya', I have never had a high ranking officer touch me there, let alone a Spectre. So my instincts told me to track where she was going. Maybe she wanted me to notice, maybe because she knew you were following her?" The marine rambled on.

"The east you said? Alright, thanks for the information marine." Walker rushed, trying to avoid a full blown conspiracy theory. Redford and Walker saluted their informant and traveled to the rest of their squad.

"whatcha' got Blake?" Doran approached his leader.

"Well, Walker here needs to find the Commander. So we need to set him up with a hot set of wheels." Redford replied.

"Or wings." Sarasoda interjected "We can use our EVAC airship to lift him to where he needs to be. I don't mind hoofing it back after we're done."

"Sounds like a plan. Owen, get that pilot on the horn and tell him to pick someone up. Then Lieutenant, you board the ship and head east. Go as far as you need to go."

"Got it. I'll search for the Commander. Thanks again-"

"Not without us you aren't." Garrus spoke from behind Jason. The group turned to see the Normandy's shore party standing at the ready.

Walker smiled at the turian "Good to see you again."

Garrus nodded "We'll help you find the Commander. She's your leader as well as ours."

"He's on his way. ETA 10 minutes." Owen reported.

"Good. Get all your things ready Echo." Redford said at Walker.

The Lieutenant turned and saluted "It was my honor to fight along side you and your men." Redford smirked and tapped two fingers on his forehead before turning around and jogging away with his men.

"I only need two of you to come with me. The rest need to stay here and help these soldiers." Walker said.

"I'll go with you." Garrus announced.

"I will as well." A voice came from behind the group. Jason turned around to see a human standing a few feet away.

"Kaidan?!" Garrus questioned.

"Good to see you too, Garrus." Kaidan replied.

"Ok, that's two. Everyone else, your Echo 2, stay here and see what these men need help with." Walker ordered. Echo 2 split from the group and moved toward the cluster of marines.

"So, who are you? Exactly." Kadian asked.

"Lieutenant Jason Walker."

"Wait, your the Lieutenant who's company we fought along side with on earth? Back in Iraq?"

"That's me."

"wha- how did you- get here?" Alenko grew even more confused.

"Long story. But right now-"

"Lieutenant Walker, I have to talk to you." Joker interrupted over the comm system.

Jason held his hand up to his squad. "What is it?"

"First get somewhere private."

"What? Where are you?"

"In orbit over the planet your fighting on. Now get somewhere quiet like."

Walker looked around for a place to go, seeing nobody near the dura-steel container. He jogged over to the longest side of the large metal rectangle.

"Ok, what's going on?" Jason questioned in the mic.

"It's about you, Walker." Joker paused for a moment "How did you get here?"

"Is this really necessary right now?"

"Yes, it is." Joker spoke sternly.

"Alright. As Commander Shepard was boarding the Normandy I spotted an enemy on a building taking aim at her. So I ran and tackled the Commander into the ship to prevent her from getting shot."

"That checks out. Explains how you boarded the Normandy. Now can you tell me about your military and civilian career."

Walker's face turned to disbelief, not understanding the importance of the questions "I am a United States Marine, Force Recon branch, currently serving my second tour of duty. My civilian occupation is a high school twelfth grade history teacher. What is this all about?"

"Good. Now your wife's name please."

"Jennifer Walker, why?" Jason answered reluctantly.

"Maiden name." Joker continued.

"LeRouge, Jennifer LeRouge."

"Unique last name, don't you think?"

"I know, her families from Louisiana. What's the point of all this?!" Walker grew irritated.

"Well." Joker again paused "I'm looking through the Commander's family tree, and your on it." Jason's jaw dropped, blown away by the news. He fell to a kneel, putting his right arm on the metal wall to brace himself. He gasped for air, the thought of being related to Commander Shepard taking his breath away.

"Your her great, great, great grandfather, Walker. . ."


	18. Returning the favor

An orange glow faintly lit in front of Shepard's eye lids. A silence washed over her, sweeping the Commander into a brisk sleep. She relaxed again, as if she were safe in her bed, trying to avoid the dull pain that barely griped her body. Shepard moaned involuntarily, the cause of such sound unknown to her fading mind. Again she let out the noise before shifting herself. Suddenly pain spread throughout her being, the sensation approached like a nuisance wasp flying closer till it was unbearable. She cried out in response to the feeling, her eyes still closed in a dazed trance. Then the Spectre's thoughts returned as well as the recent memory of what she experienced and where she was. Her emerald eyes opened instantly, noticing fire and metal around her. She was bleeding from her forehead and mouth, the warm stream still running. Shepard placed her hand on the ground and began to prop herself up. She winced and gasped as her other hand instinctively pressed on her left ribs. Her supporting arm trembled as she continued to erect herself. The Commander rose to her knees, then shuffled to her feet all the while biting down on her teeth. The transport's wreckage scattered around the ground, the flaming hull behind her. No sign of the pilot or Lord Venterius stood out among the crash site. She reached to her belt for a pack of medi-gel, but nothing was left, having selflessly used the last pack on Walker. She grunted under her breath, knowing that there was now no refuge from the throbbing pain. Shuffling away from the wreckage Shepard tried to keep moving, to move toward help, toward anything. Heavy foot fall began thumping on the dirt behind her. It drew closer until finally it stopped.

"Aaahhaa!" Commander Shepard yelled as something collided into her back with an amazing force. She slammed into the ground front first, her breast taking most of the impact. As the splitting agony burst in her chest she turned on her back to meet the person, or thing, that tackled her. She regained her sight quick enough to spot a shinny metal object barreling for her heart. With swift reflexes she caught the hand and forearm attached to the weapon. The Commander pushed the knife to the sky, desperately holding it from meeting it's mark.

"Ah! Just give up and die!" The venomous sound of Lord Venterius' voice spat out. The two struggled to bring the knife forward. Every muscle and tendon burned in Shepard's arms, screaming for relief. Shepard brought her eyes down to Venterius', the pure malice in his eyes seethed with obsessive hatred. The Commander roared as she lifted the knife centimeters higher while the slaver growled back, amazed by his prey's strength and resilience.

"You may have grown stronger- err-" He put his other hand over the knife's end "But you will never beat me! Just like the rest of your family!" The knife twitched closer to the Commander. As the knife sunk closer to the Spectre's chest she yelled, the force literally ripping her arms apart. The stalemate between them seemed to last for eternity, if there was any thoughts of hell in the Commander's mind, this was it. With one last burst of strength Shepard pushed the knife over the slaver lord's head. Venterius' eyes turned to shock as the Spectre lifted the blade. The knife's tip was now shaking violently, both of the humans muscles ached with extreme agony. Shepard held the weapon in the air for a few seconds before her body started to give. _No. . ._ She whispered in her mind. The knife now began lowering once more, it's path locked for the Commander's chest. Lower and lower it crept, Shepard struggling to repel the blade. She bared her teeth as she tried to push, but nothing seemed to stop it. Finally the knife was no more than a few centimeters above her chest, Venterius began breathing sharply, frantic to murder this one woman. Shepard too breathed in short, rapid breaths as she watched her families killer. With one last ditch effort she moved the knife away from her heart and to her shoulder, the blades tip scraping a white line in the ceramic plating. Then she felt the plate press against her chest, just before the blade sliced through her armor. Finally the pain she was expecting could be felt as the knife cut into her flesh. Shepard yelled in unimaginable anguish as the knife sunk deeper into her shoulder. As her eyes flicked around she saw Venterius shaking madly, drooling at the sight of what he was doing. She felt the serrated edge grinding on her collar bone, the sound and feeling sickening. The burning feeling now replaced with a strange cold sensation. Blood oozed from between the knife and armor plating. Shepard's legs relaxed and stopped struggling, her fingers twitching as the shock continued. Then the slaver leader pulled the knife out. Shepard gasped sharply as the metal object suddenly slid away from her shoulder. Venterius admired the blood now steadily gushing from the wound. In a frenzy of grotesque bliss the Lord put his hand on Shepard's wound and spread the blood all around her chest. Then he bent down and put his mouth on the knife wound and began drinking the Spectre's blood. The Commander arched her back and moved her head away in helpless terror, trying to look away, trying to escape from this horrid reality. She couldn't help but imagine what her family went through as this same beast tortured and killed them. Tears filled her eyes as she thought of her family, and how she would die, here, alone, being ravaged by this evil being. Venterius lifted the knife up once more and plunged it into Shepard's body. She screamed at the sharp burning pain, then the slaver stabbed her once more. Then another and another, each stab grew in intensity, in pain. As Shepard slowly faded to death she gasped, one tear fell down the side of her face. Then, in the distance she heard a familiar voice, Jason's. Venterius looked off toward where the voice came from. Commander Shepard gained a second wind by the voice. Side tracked, Venterius didn't realize the Commander as she brought herself up and bashed her fist into the slaver leader's face. He leaned back from the blow, Shepard grabbed the knife from his hand and pushed him off of her. She got to her knee and jumped onto Venterius. With the knife in hand, she turned it around so the sharp edge faced with her knuckles. Shepard lifted her hand high in the air and drove the knife into her enemies stomach. Then she push, sliding the knife up to his chest, following the line between the plating in his armor, practically gutting him. Blood suddenly erupted from the large slice and from Venterius' mouth as he shook radically from the tremendous wound. Then the Spectre dropped the knife and shoved her hand into Venterius' mouth, digging her fingers into the tissue of his bottom jaw. His dark eyes looked around frantically, stunned at what had just transpired. Shepard's fiery green eyes locked with her families murderer's. She then began to pull his bottom jaw. Blood rushed from between her fingers, squirting everywhere.

"Aaahhrraahh!" Shepard yelled as she pulled with the remaining strength she had within her. Grinding and popping sounded off as Venterius' bottom jaw began detaching from his head. He screamed in awe inspiring agony, but it was partially drowned out by the blood now gurgling from his throat and mouth. Then the skin began to stretch and rip apart. The jaw then tore loose from Venterius' skull, out with it came his tongue and bits of his ear canals. Ferocity burned deeply withing the Spectre's eyes as she stared into the slaver lord's orbs. With the remaining seconds he had to live Venterius stared back, convulsing every few moments. Shepard picked up the knife, the very same blade that took her eye, and plunged it deep into Venterius' right eye socket. The eye burst and his head went slack, leaning backwards, dead.

"Shepard! My god. . ." Walker yelled as he approached the Commander. Shepard threw the jaw down in the dirt and stood up, facing the Lieutenant.

"Jason. . ." Shepard smiled faintly. The Commander stepped toward Walker but she stumbled and fell to her knees, weakened.

"Shepard!" Jason yelled again as he dropped his rifle and ran toward the Commander. Within seconds the Lieutenant scooped up the Spectre in his arms.

Jason gasped "Commander- I- Hang in there!" Walker looked at her face then down at her wounds, he then put his hand on her injuries.

"Dammit. . .-dammit stay with me!" Jason's voice wavered. Garrus then rushed along side of the two and began taking out medical equipment.

The Commander looked into Walker's eyes ". . . I'm glad. . . you saved me." she whispered. Garrus hastily began applying med-gel to the wounds.

"N-no, I haven't saved you yet. Don't-don't die on me!" Jason's eyes welled up, cradling Shepard's head in his hand. Kaidan then knelt next to them, he too began tending to his Commander's wounds. Jason looked up at Garrus, the two stared at each other for a moment, unsure if they can save her.

---------------------------

"We managed to wipe out every last slaver on this planet. We'll, except those the Alliance captured or the ones that fled. . ." Wrex stated. "Should have killed them all. I don't like leaving loose ends."

"So the worker's can get back to the terraforming project?" Tali questioned.

"Yeah, as long as they're not afraid of a few escaped varren." The Normandy shore party conversed in the hangar of the terraform headquarters, standing under the Normandy itself.

A news woman's voice was heard off in the distance "The Alliance forces regrouped back at their headquarters earlier today after they completed the sweep of the planet for any remaining slaver presence. The marines suffered medium casualties toward the end of the four day armed occupation of the planet. Work is to resume as scheduled in a few days. Investigators have been analyzing the reports of Terracorp director, Elano Mundias, to see if he had anything to do with the sudden and deliberate strike on Alliance soil. When approached today Mr. Mundias refused to comment."

"I can't stand the press. . ." Garrus muttered. "They always swing something their way to get ratings. You can never trust half of what they say."

"In other news, The human Spectre, Commander Shepard, has been reportedly wounded in the four day conflict on TF-14. No news for sure on how serious her condition might be. Although reports are saying she is expected to make a full recovery." The news woman continued.

"I'm going to check on her." Walker said, reminded by the news broadcast.

"Alright." Garrus nodded. Jason stepped away from the group and headed toward the ramp. As he stepped up the incline various personnel passed him, workers and military alike. Jason stepped at a brisk pace, looking to his right admiring the Normandy. Suddenly he was grabbed by the arm and brought into a room, the door slid shut upon entry. Jason turned around to see the person that grabbed him.

"Did you miss me?" Rose said playfully.

"What are you doing here?" Walker question, not particularly happy to see her.

"Your Commander killed my father."

"He deserved everything he got. Are you here to exact revenge?"

Rose laughed slightly "If I were, you'd be dead already."

"Then what is it that you want?"

"You." Rose whispered, getting closer to Jason.

"No." Walker brushed her away "You tricked me once already and I regret every minute of it. I'm a married man! Do you even know what I have to go through when I see my wife again! If I even see her again?!"

"It was just a bit of fun Walker. Don't beat yourself up over it."

Jason growled, not happy with Rose's attitude. The bounty hunter paced back and forth, waiting for the Lieutenant to do something.

"I need to go." Jason finally spoke.

"I can't let you go." Rose toyed.

"Quit toying with me!" Jason yelled "You've already ruined my conscience. What else do you want!?"

"hmm, I like when your unpredictable."

"Dammit! What the hell do you want from me!" Jason shouted again, fed up with the bounty hunter "Do you find it funny to constantly get in my way?"

"Something I was taught I suppose. . . You really care about Commander Shepard, don't you?"

"She's my descendant, of course I care for her."

"It would have been amusing to see your relationship turn out had you two not been related."

"I would never. . ."

"But you did." Rose countered. Jason suddenly rushed the assassin, grasping on to her neck and slammed her against the wall.

"Don't, push me." Walker growled, centimeters from Rose's face. he took a deep breath then released his grip. "Are you going to help me or what?"

"I'll help you." Rose quickly brought her hand to Walker's neck and injected him with a vial of liquid.

"Ah! What the hell was that?"

"An injection that prevents you from getting sick, from anything. You can thank me later. However everything will feel like cloth for a few hours." Walker's face turned to a confused look.

"Take this." The woman handed Jason a cylindrical object "It's a personal shield generator. It'll protect you from a certain amount of bullets, politicians wear them. There not that hard to pass with the right firepower though, but you shouldn't worry, I don't have a contract on you. However back in your time it'll protect you against everything that isn't an explosive for an exceptional amount of time, around five minutes in direct fire."

"You know your stuff." Walker said, impressed.

"Well, the occupation demands it. Take this as well. Don't inject it until you have somewhere to lie down."

"Why? What is it?"

"It's a muscular serum. Prevents muscle deterioration by seventy eight percent, it also makes you some what stronger. So you can keep your physical level all the time with limited exercise. It's developed for the navy to counter act the loss of muscle in space. It hurts like hell though and can bring you to your knees."

"Why are you giving me all this?"

"You'll know soon enough. Now go see your Commander." Rose dismissed. Walker shrugged in confusion. Not sure why Rose had a sudden change of heart.

---------------------------

"How is she doing?" Walker questioned Doctor Chakwas.

"Considerably well for having four broken ribs, a fractured right hand, multiple stab wounds, and many minor cuts and bruises." the Doctor stated. Walker smiled and nodded then stepped over to Shepard's bedside. He looked at the Commander's face, which was now clean and not covered in blood.

Shepard opened her eyes and smiled "Hi, what are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you, how are you feeling?"

"Like a canned sardine in this bed. How about you?"

"Slightly less so, Commander."

Shepard chuckled a bit but stopped before she hurt her healing ribs "Hows the crew?"

"There doing good. You've been in here for two days and they haven't come to check on you?"

"No, they have, it's just amazing no one died." Shepard sighed in relief.

"It's amazing you didn't die." Walker said quickly after the Commander spoke.

"True, the galaxy needs someone to save it's ass."

"Leave the 'ass saving' to someone else for a little while. Oorah?"

Shepard smirked "You are old school. I haven't heard that since basic."

Jason smiled and looked around the room, before looking back down at Shepard.

"I don't understand it." Walker announced.

"What?" Shepard questioned.

"I don't understand why people would want to hurt others. Why people would want to hurt someone like you."

Shepard laid silent, recollecting the sinister person that Jason was referring to.

"Your caring, intelligent, selfless, beautiful. I don't understand why someone would think the place needs less people like you."

"Your getting sentimental on me Walker. What are you, my dad?"

Jason smirked, if she only knew the half of it. Walker took a deep breath and sighed, trying to get rid of his fatherly instinct.

"People are just bad. For all the good ones, there's twice as many bad ones. Why do you think you and I fight?" Shepard spoke.

"To protect the good, but we're also protecting the bad."

"What would you do then?"

Walker looked blankly forward, pausing for a moment "Kill them."

Shepard stared at Walker "Then people would think your no better than the bad guys."

"That would be a hypocritical and self righteous way to think. there's nothing wrong with killing, as long as the right people are getting killed." Jason answered.

"A life is a life they say."

"Yeah? Is that what they think the bad guys are going to take into mind when they're pointing a gun at their heads? When their murdering their children." Walker sighed, trying to release some of his rage "People are soft."

"So is this what side of the family I get my ideals from?" Shepard grinned.

"Wha- He told you?"

"Yes."

Jason smirked, shaking his head. "Never would have though my family would turn out to have a galactic hero in it. To think I'd be the only family member to join the military."

Shepard looked away, pausing for a moment then turned to Jason."Suit up. Your going back home."

"Understood Commander." Jason accepted and walked out of the medical bay.

---------------------------

Pulling the tactical vest over his head, Lieutenant Walker finished up putting his military equipment on. He kicked the toes of his boots on the floor, getting used to his old clothes. Commander Shepard walked out of the elevator toward Jason.

"That looks a little bit more you, Lieutenant." Shepard joked.

"No complaints here. Those hard suits aren't particularly fun to get in and out of." Walker confessed.

"I know what you mean."

"ETA five minutes Commander." Joker informed over the loud speaker.

"Alright. Joker, take us back in and land right where we left."

"Aye-aye." Joker acknowledged. Jason bent down and picked up his M4 Carbine, inspecting it. Something slid out of Walker's pouch and hit the floor, rolling in a semi-circle before he picked it up. Walker studied the large cartridge and tossed it underhanded to Shepard.

"Here, something to remember me by. Might be worth something."

"What is it?" Shepard questioned as she caught the metal object.

"A spent fifty caliber round from an Apache helicopter. I don't know how it got in my pocket, must of fell in when they were firing." The Lieutenant felt his other pouches on his vest, adjusting them. Then he walked over to the Commander.

"hitting the rift in 5. . .4. . .3. . ." Joker counted.

"Might want to hang onto something." Shepard pointed out.

Walker leaned to his left and grabbed onto the metal beam and smiled "I got it."

". . .1. Brace for, something." Joker finished. The white light started to glow around the garage, slowly making its way to the two humans. The Lieutenant calmly looked around at the light, preparing himself for the jump. Then the whiteness flashed into their eyes, blinding them with tremendous light.

---------------------------

Slowly Walker's vision returned to normal, the white faded from his vision.

"According to the computer. We're ten days past the time we originally arrived in." Joker spoke again.

"Close enough, bring us down." Shepard ordered.

"Copy that, setting her down."

Jason looked down at Shepard's hand, fiddlings with the cartridge. "Guess this is good bye."

Commander Shepard looked into Walker's hazel eyes "I guess so."

Jason saluted the Commander. She returned the salute, tears in her eyes. Then she suddenly hugged the Lieutenant, a tear fell to the ground. Jason moved his arms around to embrace the Spectre, his eyes too welling up. Behind them the cargo bay door opened up, slowly revealing the sun drenched outside. The two slid away from each other, Walker put on his amber tinted tactical glasses. He nodded at Shepard then turned toward the door, putting on his Kevlar helmet. Jason gripped onto his rifle and stepped to the edge of the ramp before putting his foot on the ground.


	19. Epilogue

Minutes after the Normandy lifted back into the air it began to disappear for the last time, the white static covering the hull before it vanished. Walker shifted his amber covered gaze down to the ground, watching the abandoned street ahead. Reality began to sink in to the marines mind, he was now alone in a potentially hostile area. The rich smell of baked dirt and sun washed stone filled his lungs. Seemingly unaltered he began walking forward, beginning his journey back into the familiar unknown. He slowly passed sand colored house after sand colored house, not a soul in sight. The heat began to take effect, radiating from outside of his vest, then into his BDU, and finally warming his skin. One foot continuously lead the other, moving down the street in a self-silent fashion. Walker thought of his appearance, the almost text book soldier look, an easy target for insurgents to spot out. Then his left hand unclenched from his rifles grip and into his chest pocket. The souvenir Rose gave him, the shield generator. He felt hesitant to put his faith in the object, practically putting his life in the hands of the woman that once before, tried to kill him. An anxious sense stirred in his stomach as he put the cylindrical object, he finally has the chance to see his friends, and family. At least, a better chance to see them now than several generations in the future. A large mass of people caught the Lieutenant's attention, he then turned into the left bound street toward the congregation of humans, hoping to catch an Army convoy on patrol somewhere in the market. Walker sighed, reluctant to enter the situation without any support or backup. A few Iraqi's lifted their heads from what they were doing to see an American approaching them. Their eyes pierced straight through Jason, he felt a chill run down his spine. The marine lifted the cloth around his neck over his mouth and under his glasses, then adjusted the fabric over his face. Slowly he marched toward the market, then stood next to the crowd. Four children sprang from the audience and toward Walker. Jason raised an eyebrow, confused by the behavior. The children began circling the marine, chanting joyfully in their native language. They reached out to the American with one hand while they skipped about. Jason pressed his left hand on his rifle, and with his right hand he help it out. Their hands met his in reoccurring high fives. Jason couldn't help but smile under his mask at the event. Then the grownups in the crowd began cheering, holding two fingers up in a V at him, a sign for peace. As Walker breached the wall of people various stall owners waved plates of food in his face, offering him a bite of their product. Jason brought his hand up to gesture that he didn't want any. People put their hands out to touch the marine, patting him on the back and shoulders. The Lieutenant nodded, still smiling, welcoming the peoples change in mood toward his nation. The children ran off in front of the officer, pointing to their right. Jason stood on his toes briefly, trying to see what the kids were signaling him toward. Suddenly a familiar vehicle came into view, a M2 Bradley IFV. Walker smiled once more, shaking his head at his luck. Then Army personnel were visible, passing out toys and keeping watch. Jason jogged to one of the Soldiers.

She looked up at the Lieutenant, starting at his knee pads "What?!" She blurted out in confusion.

"First Lieutenant Jason Walker, USMC. Force Recon." He stated, hoping the soldier would understand.

"What the hell's a Marine doing out here?!" Another Soldier shouted in question while stepping over to the two.

"Lieutenant Walker." Jason announced again.

"Corporal Downing. Your marines left about a week ago. May I ask why your still here, sir." Downing questioned.

"Long story. I need to get to Al Asad airbase. Can you do that?" Walker hurried in his speech.

"We'll have to call it in sir. We can't just abandon our patrol." The female soldier answered "I don't think the Corps wants one of theirs out, especially FORECON. Downing, get Headquarters on the line. Staff Sergeant Stephany Grainger, by the way Lieutenant."

"Your in charge Ma'am?"

"Yes I am." She spoke, Downing's voice echoed in the back, speaking over the radio.

"Sergeant." the Corporal spoke "They say bring him back, immediately."

"I see. . ." Grainger turned and eyed Walker once more "Looks like your high priority, Lieutenant."

Jason stood silent, but slowly took a deep breath, concerned over his sudden escalation in relevance.

"Alright men lets move out. We have one extra so I hope everyone's well accustomed to each other." The Sergeant ordered.

---------------------------

Ten minutes outside Al Asad airbase the IFV pressed on at a steady pace. The late afternoon scorched the exterior of the vehicle. It was equipped with cages around the sides, as well as having equipment stacked on the back. The layer of sand caked on the sides indicates that this vehicle has been in service for a good amount of time. On the inside the soldiers sat next to one another, some conversed about various things.

"I'm almost afraid to ask why your so in the dark about the past week and a half." Sergeant Grainger persisted.

"Let's just say, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Walker answered, faintly smiling.

"Fair enough." She said, leaning back in her seat. "Whats our ETA?"

"About seven minutes." The driver informed. The rest of the soldiers began prepping to exit the vehicle. Jason leaned in his chair, rolling his shoulders back, a slight discomfort sparked where he'd been stabbed back on TF-14.

"So I wouldn't believe you, huh?" She smirked "That's a pretty bold statement to say about someone you've just met."

"I was just basing it on the fact that I wouldn't believe it myself if you were in this situation telling me." Jason apologized.

"I don't know Lieutenant, I can be very persuading."

Walker smirked, shaking his head "Is this how you treat your men?"

"Let's just say if I told you, you wouldn't believe me." She grinned.

---------------------------

The vehicle came to a halt and the back door opened. The soldiers began to pile out. Walker stepped out and looked around, happy to finally be some place safe. The Lieutenant saluted Sergeant Grainger and walked toward the main building, uneasy about his reception. Walker opened the off white door, a cool blast of air hit his front, then he stepped inside. Uniformed servicemen sat in chairs, reading papers. A soldier past Jason on his left, carrying the sharp scent of paper and information. Walker stood in front of a wooden door. The Lieutenant placed his Carbine next to the door, took of his helmet and glasses then stepped inside. In the room it was silent, as if after a large storm that just passed, the atmosphere didn't help the anxious feeling inside Walker. Jason stood at attention in front of a large desk, his arm over his helmet on his left side.

"You wanted to see me, Colonel?" Walker held a salute at the seated man.

"Lieutenant." An assertive voice rumbled in Jason's ears. The Colonel then stood and returned the Lieutenant's salute "Good to have you back." He then reached over his desk to shake Walker's hand.

"Good to be back sir." Jason said as his hand met with the Commanding officer's. The Colonel sat back down, adjusted his uniform and crossed his leg.

"At ease. It's a miracle your back Walker, you've been reported MIA for ten days now."

Jason shuffled in his stance for a moment, unsure of what he will tell the Colonel.

"Some of us have lost hope that you would return. Thankfully you did, and in one piece. Now do you mind telling me what happened out there?"

The Lieutenant squinted his eyes "I don't know how to tell you sir. . . I don't even know myself."

The Colonel nodded, then took a breath. "Your company has stayed quiet, mostly to protect you I imagine. Not many Officers can say they can have a whole company of men lie for them, Lieutenant. Must be an honor to serve under your command."

Jason held back a grin, flattered.

"Now I don't want to know what went on out there or want to begin to even understand." The Colonel stood up once more "You're going home Lieutenant."

A breath escaped Walker's mouth as he heard the news. "Thank you sir."

"I trust you know what's best for you, Walker. This won't be in the report. I'll say we found you wounded. I hope your acting skills are up to par."

Jason couldn't believe the understanding the Colonel had for the situation. "Thank you sir. I couldn't-"

"That's quite alright Lieutenant. I suggest you get your things together. Plane leaves for Germany in 1800 hours." The Colonel informed. Jason saluted once more then headed for the door, anxious to leave for home.

---------------------------

As Walker exited the building, the intense heat washed over him, almost making him sick ti his stomach. Military personnel traveled back and forth outside. Jason looked side to side as he moved toward a placement of tents.

"Excuse me." The Lieutenant asked a serviceman passing him.

"Yes?" The man answered.

"Where are the computers located?"

"Oh there are some right there in that tent."

"Thank you."

"Not a problem." The man nodded before walking away. Jason turned to enter the olive drab tent. Inside computer stalls were in place, used by the military men and women to contact their families back home, check the news, email, or any other luxuries. Walker situated himself in front of a computer. Taps on the keyboard where heard as his fingers struck the keys. Jason entered the IP address of his homes computer, hoping to tell his wife the good news. He knew the number by heart, typed it in so many times over the months, not to mention how many times he and his wife rehearsed before he left for Iraq. The connecting screen popped up, a circle spun gently in the middle of the page. A few minutes passed and an error message appeared.

_Session timed out. Either the receiver did not answer or a connection issue has occurred. Please contact an administrator._

Jason had a concerning surprise look on his face. Then he typed the information in again and let it connect. Again the error messaged showed up. He began typing in the info one more time.

"Jason?!" A familiar voice said in an elevated tone. Walker turned around to see his friend standing behind him.

"Kelly?!" The Lieutenant spoke in surprise.

"My god! Your alive!" She swiftly jumped closer to him and wrapped her arms around the Officer. "We all thought you died."

"No, not yet. How have things been?" Jason questioned as the two stood back from each other.

"Fine, everything's good. The company is fine, finally done with the reclaiming of the city."

"How did that go?"

"Well, after you left the Army took over the rest of the operation. Now everything is back to normal. Just sitting around. Doing nothing."

"hmm, what about your wound?" Jason asked as he lifted his hand.

"As if it never happened. I don' know what that Doctor used but I was battle fit within the next few hours. No medals though. . . guess that's what happens when you keep quiet."

"Thanks for doing that. You all are really an amazing group of people."

"See what happens when you don't 'crack the whip'. Things tend to come back around to you. Lo que pasa alrededor viene alrededor." The Sergeant smiled "Besides, we didn't want you locked up in some loco government building like an alien."

"That wouldn't be my ideal situation right now."

"Hey, are you doing the HALO training tomorrow? Have they got you set back into place. I can't imagine anyone else pushing me out of a plane at thirty thousand feet."

"Actually. I'm going home." Walker announced.

"Ditching me again, are you?"

"They're sending me home. I have no choice Sergeant."

"Congratulations then LT. I have another month to go."

"I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Seguro de que, amigo. . . Vamos a esperar y ver. Sólo tiene que esperar y ver. . ."

"I hate when you do this. I never know what you say."

"Quizás esa es la forma en que debe ser."

Jason sighed, confused by the intentional language barrier.

---------------------------

After a long travel Walker made it back to the United States, back home. The last mile home Jason took the bus, having no transportation of his own at hand. His rucksack next to him as he sat on the bench in his green and khaki service uniform. Over the course of the trip he gained many glances from people. Some Jason couldn't decipher whether they were curious, wondering, or angry looks. Not many people spoke to him, it was as if he was some sort of outcast, an unwanted person. Not even so much as a thank you from the people around him. But none of that mattered to the Lieutenant now, because he was almost home, where at least, someone cared about him. It was now past midnight, the outside not even visible from inside the illuminated bus. Jason's cell phone began to ring. Not used to the sound he dug around his bag to retrieve the device.

Jason scrambled to put the phone to his ear "Hello?" Walker answered.

"Hey Jason. It's Liz." A female spoke, her voice hesitant.

"Yes, what is it?" Jason's voice lightened up, recognizing his wife's sister.

"I heard you came back from over seas. I need to talk to you."

"Why? What is it?" Jason's eyes looked back and forth, his concern apparent.

Liz's voice stuttered for a moment "Meet me outside your house. I'll talk to you then."

"Wha- What's the matter? Is something wrong?!" Walker questioned in a loud tone, but she hung up. Jason put his phone back in his bag. He looked up, noticing the only two passengers on the bus looking at him.

"Sorry." Jason apologized. The bearded man nodded once while the woman to the right shook her head. The Lieutenant swallowed then cast his eyes to the buses floor, unsure of what to think of the news.

---------------------------

"Elizabeth. What is it?" Jason questioned, his voice stern with concern. He stepped off the bus and walked at a fast pace toward the woman, bag over his shoulder.

"It's. . . It's about Jennifer." Liz said, her eyes almost in tears.

"Yes, what about her?! Is she not inside at the moment? I understand, I'll just wait for her-"

"No. . ." Liz gasped, her head shaking "Jennifer. . . She's dead."

Jason stood silent, the bag he was holding dropped to the ground. His face went blank, the news ripping the very soul from his being. Liz burst into tears as she watched her sister's husband react. The jaw muscles in Walker's face oscillated as he tried to hold back his emotion. Jason's mind went blank, he was nothing but a hollowed shell. Then his hands started to shake, his eyes glazed with tears.

"wh-what happened. . .?" Jason finally manage to sound out faintly, in shock.

"She was in a car accident. . ."

"When. . . did this. . . happen?"

"The twenty eighth. . ."

Walker couldn't believe what was happening. His wife could not have died four days ago, how could it be possible? The irony struck Jason the hardest. Here it is, his wife dieing, safe in the states, when in all reality it should have been him in Iraq. . . in a war. Walker looked away from Elizabeth, the sadness unbearable.

"What about my son?" He spoke, his voice wavering.

"He was born a week before. He's safe. . . with us."

Jason shut out everything, in total disbelief. Silently he picked up his bag and walked to his front door. Liz began crying even more. Jason unlocked the door and stepped inside. He shut the door behind him, then put the bag next to the stairs. He slowly sat on the third step, putting his knees in front of him. The world spun around and around in silent pandemonium. The door passed the left wall, stairs, and right entry way over and over, spinning around Jason's head. He put his hands on his face, then through his hair, and back to his face. Everything he believed in, everything he hoped for, and everything he knew ripped to shreds. His very soul tore it self apart over and over until the pain of death seemed better than this hell. Thoughts raced through Walker's mind, memories, aspirations. Then he folded his arms and buried his head in them, in deep sorrow over the loss of his lover.


End file.
